Year of disruption as Esher Road bridge is replaced

AFTER 120 years of service the Victorian bridge over the River Mole at Esher Road is ‘nearing the end of its working life’ and must be shortly replaced.
The 'Elmbridge Local Committee', which consists of the borough's eight county councillors and eight borough councillors - among them Molesey's Steve Bax - endorsed the project in February, and now Surrey officers are drawing up designs, costings and a timescale for the estimated £1million project.
Construction could start in 2017 and is likely to last a year with the bridge access closed for most of that time. Clearly the demolition of this well used but corroded bridge, and the installation of a new one, will cause massive disruption as traffic is redirected via Hampton Court Way.
Molesey Conservatives have raised with the County officers the need to minimise the impact on road users, however we are optimistic that a new bridge will bring desirable and needed improvements to the road layout.
Cllr Bax said: “Residents have repeatedly raised safety issues about excess speeding, the lack of a crossing and the narrow footpath on the east side that is well used by Orchard School children.
“In the council chamber last year I suggested we ought to look into extending the footpath on the west side from Alders Grove to Walton Road to reduce the need to cross. Happily I’m told that the new bridge can accommodate this and create a wider road and pavements.
“We must also seize the opportunity to improve the dangerous access/exit to Molember Road, which has long been a problem.”