75-year-old pensioner blocks demolition of Brockenhurst footbridge as bulldozers pause

A 75-year-old pensioner chained himself to a 70-year-old footbridge in Brockenhurst on Wednesday, prompting a pause in demolition efforts as bulldozers moved in to begin removal of the structure. Forestry England says the bridge is deteriorating and no longer meets modern safety standards, and that replacing it would cost about £45,000. Local residents, however, argue the crossing is a public asset used by about 100 people daily and that the plan would force pedestrians onto a dangerous route.

The footbridge spans a small stream near Martin's Road in the New Forest village and has long been a popular crossing for walkers headed to Black Knowl. After a plan to remove the bridge was announced, dozens of protesters joined 75-year-old Mike James, who strapped himself to the bridge with a steel cord and padlock when the original barrier was removed earlier in the week. He told reporters that there had been no consultation and that residents were angry about the move.

Forestry England notes that a nearby wooden bridge about 200 metres away provides a safe alternative crossing. Still, the proposed diversion would push pedestrians onto a metre-wide section of Meerut Road, where drivers travel on a bend with limited sightlines. Hannah Foster, a local mother of two, said the alternate crossing was not suitable and dangerous because of the road's busy nature and lack of a pavement. Her husband added that the crossing was likely used by at least 100 people a day. The community near Brockenhurst says the diversion would be an accident waiting to happen and would sever a crossing used by walkers, dog walkers and runners heading to Black Knowl and nearby Holland's Wood campsite.

Forestry England has faced repeated protests since plans to demolish the bridge resurfaced in April after being shelved four years earlier amid public outcry. The agency has argued that environmental constraints in this part of the New Forest, which is highly protected, prevent upgrades or replacement in place, and that the cost of a new bridge would be prohibitive in light of environmental considerations. A spokesman for Forestry England said the bridge's design and structure no longer meet safety standards and that recent civil-engineering assessments show it deteriorating further. The agency maintains that a nearby wooden bridge offers a safe alternative crossing and that vegetation has been cleared to improve visibility along the road path.

James Crill, a Brockenhurst resident, described Forestry England's position as outrageous. He warned that removing a bridge that forms part of the public right of way requires legal and statutory review. Hampshire County Council has indicated that there is no public right of way over the bridge, and that Forestry England, as landowner, has the authority to remove it in the interest of safety. Critics say the plan would cut off a crossing to Black Knowl and other forest facilities. The Daily Mail has reported that local residents are seeking a legal injunction if removal proceeds before a satisfactory resolution is reached.

The dispute underscores a broader tension between conservation agencies and local communities over how to balance safety, access and budgets in a protected landscape. While Forestry England argues that the bridge is no longer safe and the cost of upgrading would be outweighed by the benefits of a safer route, residents insist the social value of the crossing and the risks posed by the alternative route merit further consideration.