Key footpath closed from Upper Beeding to Steyning due to safety concerns

West Sussex County Council (WSCC) has issued a temporary closure notice, stating that use of the Steyning / Upper Beeding footpath is ‘temporarily prohibited’.

A West Sussex County Council spokesperson told this newspaper: ‘“The structure of the footbridge that carries the public footpath was recently assessed by engineers and it was found that the structure had degraded and is not considered safe for public access.

"The county council are considering all options to get the route re-opened as soon as possible but cannot confirm how long this will take.

“Public safety is paramount and we urge users to honour the temporary path closure and not access the structure for their own safety.”

The closure has been in place since last Thursday (August 24).

"This path closure is necessary for public safety due to an unsafe bridge,” a notice at the site reads.

“This notice is effective for 21 days from this date but it is intended to extend the closure until the bridge can be made safe."

The council told the public an investigation found the bridge was ‘showing signs of deterioration’ and ‘it is not safe to remain open’.

A statement read: “WSCC are working on resolving this issue as quickly as possible but due to the complicated nature of this work and the need to replace the structure completely it is currently not possible to say when the path will be reopened.

“Enquiries regarding the footpath closure should be directed to Public Rights of Way Team (01243 777620). Please quote the path number when you call. We apologise for any inconvenience.”