Footpath temporarily closed due to Royal Border Bridge works in Berwick

A public notice has been issued by Northumberland County Council stating that it has made an order to prohibit its use for a number of hours each day from Monday to Friday.

This is now in effect and the order runs until April 20 – although the local authority has confirmed that the footpath will be fully opened again straightaway if the works are completed before this date.

The closure has been requested by Story Contracting Ltd ‘in the interests of public safety to facilitate masonry repair works to the Royal Border Bridge’.

The company is carrying out the multi-million-pound repairs of all 28 arches of the Grade I listed bridge on behalf of Network Rail.

It was announced in November that the project would be extended until spring 2023 as it was decided to to carry out even more repairs than originally planned, although teams have used a rope access system to save time and money.

The council notice states: ‘Although there is no alternative route, the path will only be closed when the works are in place.

‘Works are currently scheduled for Mondays to Thursdays 9am to 11am and 1pm to 4pm, and Fridays 9am to 11am and 1pm to 2.30pm.

‘The length of the footpath which is affected is as follows: From a point 70 metres west of Castle Vale House in a south-easterly direction following the northern bank of the River Tweed for a distance of 60 metres passing under the Royal Border Bridge to a point 30 metres west of Castle Vale House.’