THERE are calls for a popular River Wye footbridge to be reopened by next spring “as promised by highways chiefs”.

The Black Bridge in Lydbrook, which is part of the Wye Valley Walk and is also known as Stowfield Viaduct, has faced a series of closures in recent times and was closed again last year because the bad state of its decking was deemed a risk to life.

The bridge, which links the Forest of Dean with Welsh Bicknor in Herefordshire, is a registered right of way and a vital link in the 136-mile Wye Valley Walk, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, catering for more than 20,000 walkers a year.

A bureaucratic blunder which has since been put right previously meant only the Herefordshire part of the former railway bridge was recorded as a footpath.

Forest of Dean District Councillor Sid Phelps (G, Lydbrook), who has been campaigning for the bridge since its first closure in 2016, is concerned access across the bridge has been blocked again.

Gloucestershire County Council has had to carry out environmental surveys as the bridge is within several wildlife conservation areas.

And officers said this work was further complicated as the bridge crosses the Wye, a salmon river, and the use of scaffolding within the watercourse is severely restricted.

An ecological appraisal in 2024 identified bats, otters, water voles, salmon, eels, white-clawed crayfish, reptiles along with badgers, dormice and hedgehogs in the surrounding woodland.

The council said it has been working with ecologists to ensure repairs are completed within the law and do not harm any of the protected species.

Councillor Phelps (G, Lydbrook) said he appreciates the ecological sensitivity of the area but residents would like to be given a timetable which sets out when the bridge will reopen.

“We would like to see progress on repairs and look forward to hearing a timetabled schedule of works as soon as possible,” he said.

“It’s probably too late for this summer but the Stowfield and Welsh Bicknor communities as well as untold hikers will be hopeful of access by spring 2026 as promised.”

Council leader Lisa Spivey (LD, South Cerney) said they are unable to confirm a date but reopening the bridge as soon as possible “remains their top priority”.

“We’re in the final stages of designing the scaffolding walkway for the bridge and completing our last bat survey,” she said.

“Our team is working hard to begin repairs to the scaffolding in the coming months.”

The 156-year-old former railway bridge was closed from 2016 to 2018 before temporary repairs allowed its reopening.

But a £1.7m Heritage lottery bid failed to secure further repair funds, and it was shut again on safety grounds last year.

Construction of the bridge took place between 1869 and 1873 to carry the connection between the Ross-Monmouth Railway and the Severn and Wye Railway at Lydbrook junction station, for the Edison Swan Cable works.

It became a walkway after the closure of the railway in 1964, and saves local residents a six-mile detour via Huntsham or Kerne bridges.