Bridge to (and from) nowhere

An expensive-looking new bridge over the railway north of Craven Arms is attracting local ridicule. ’The new bridge connecting a field to a field does not have ramps for wheelchairs, bikes etc…so why put it there at all?' asks one local resident.

Other local comments [on the Next Door site] include ‘waste of money and time’, ‘more money going to be wasted’, ‘you couldn’t make it up!! typical disgraceful waste of taxpayer money’, ‘what has happened to common sense’, ’should’ve put it at the railway station’.

In the middle of the fields, it appears to connect two hardly-used footpaths - both of which end up on busy roads, and don’t connect with either local towns or villages. Nor does it link to the old Roman Road byway immediately adjacent.

Apparently part of the attractively-named 'Wart Hill Wander' - the sign for which is hidden behind years of hedge - the new bridge might have had a role if Shropshire Council’s recent 'levelling-up' bid for Craven Arms had succeeded. The bid - now rejected by Government twice - was for a new business park north of the town. However Shropshire Council has now been accepted a multi-million levelling up grant for Shrewsbury town centre instead.

'No doubt this may help a few walkers, and good luck to them’ says former councillor and campaigner Chris Naylor. ‘But our recent Liberal Democrat survey locally has flagged up local roads so potholed you can hardly drive along them - and pavements and road surfaces so bad that elderly residents can’t get out. If there’s money for a shiny new bridge, why isn’t there money to fix potholes and pavements?’