Posted on Thursday 11th December 2025
The installation of the temporary footbridge in Burston is now expected to happen in the early New Year.
Plans to install a temporary footbridge in Burston, so that a popular footpath can safely reopen, have now been given the green light.
A section of the Sandon and Burston Public Footpath 36 was closed after a footbridge was dislodged into the River Trent. Staffordshire County Council has already put forward plans to install a replacement bridge, designed to be more accessible and longer-lasting, with funding already secured.
To reopen the footpath sooner, the county council applied back in August for permission from the Environment Agency to install a temporary bridge.
This approval is a legal requirement before any work can begin.
Permission has now been granted by the Environment Agency but, given the time of year and persistent wet weather making the ground too unstable for heavy machinery, the temporary bridge cannot be safely installed before Christmas.
The installation is now expected to take place early in the New Year, as soon as conditions improve enough for the team to work safely.
In the meantime, engineers will continue to monitor the site closely, and Footpath 36 between the River Trent and Burston Lane will remain closed to protect the public.
Hayley Coles, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture, said:
“Our hope was to reopen the footpath by the end of the year, but given the time it’s taken to get approval coupled with the recent prolonged wet weather, it would not be safe or responsible to go ahead right now.
I share the frustration of residents about this but, rest assured, our crews are ready to start work as soon as possible. The good news is that we now have the green light we need to install the temporary bridge. As soon as the ground is stable enough, our engineers will be on site to get the footpath open again. We will share a further update as soon as this happens.
“I want to thank the community for their patience as we continue to work towards making the route safe.”