Barcombe: Campaigners fight to save disused railway bridge

Campaigners say the former railway bridge is important to wildlife

Campaigners fighting to save a former railway bridge in East Sussex say destroying it would be "a wrecking ball act".

National Highways proposes infilling the bridge, in Barcombe, with concrete as it faces costly structural repairs.

Campaigners say the bridge is a community asset and an important part of the ecosystem.

National Highways, formerly Highways England, said the plan has been paused while more surveys are carried out.

Wildlife corridor

Designed by civil engineer Frederick Banister, the bridge was built in the early 1880s as part of a line connecting Lewes and East Grinstead, and it has a 24-tonne capacity.

Campaign organiser Dr Hazel Fell-Rayner said: "This has become a really important wildlife corridor. If this is filled in, this will mean deer and badgers can't get through."

A similar infilling scheme carried out in Cumbria may have to be reversed, after the local council ruled planning permission should have been sought first.

Along with other planned infilling schemes, Barcombe has been put on hold, but campaigners believe it could still go ahead.

"They're stopped on a light, but they haven't cancelled," said Dr Fell-Rayner.

Hazel Fell-Rayner fears the infilling could still go ahead

Fellow campaigner Graeme Bickerdike accused National Highways of planning to destroy an asset that could be used in the future.

"It destroys opportunities. They are blocking structures that have value in terms of future sustainable transport and railways, that is a wrecking ball act."

Lewes District Council has written to the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, asking him to step in.

National Highways head of Historical Railways Estate programme Hélène Rossiter said: "The Historical Railways Estate is an important part of our industrial heritage.

"We continue to work closely with stakeholders to keep the estate and public safe, safeguard its future, ensure value for money for the taxpayer and re-use the assets wherever possible.

"Infilling of Barcombe Bridge has been paused to give more time for local authorities and interest groups time to fully consider their local plans to benefit walking, cycling and heritage railways, and discussions are ongoing."

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