100 signatures reached
To: Network Rail
Save the Heritage Footbridge at Alton Station
To repair the historic wooden footbridge at Alton Station (Hants) instead of demolishing it
Why is this important?
The footbridge is the last of its kind in the country. It has been in place since 1892 and it is vital it stays in place to keep the Victorian ambience of the station which is one of the Gateways to the South Downs National Park.
The wooden heritage footbridge at Alton Station in Hampshire was installed in 1892 by the London and South Western Railway. It is now the only surviving example of a wooden railway footbridge in situ anywhere in the UK. It has stood the test of time well, but it is now in need of a full repair and restoration. The footbridge is important for several reasons: it is part of the atmosphere for those visiting the Mid-Hants Railway (aka The Watercress Line); it is a second means for passengers travelling to London to cross the line (under cover) and it is part of Alton's architectural heritage.
A new footbridge with lifts was built by Network Rail in 2013 and the old bridge was due for removal. A group of concerned local residents got together to form Friends of Alton Station (FAS), initially as a steering group in 2014, then as a membership organisation in 2015. In that time we have been patiently negotiating with Network Rail to save the bridge. After a number of surveys, and the closure of the bridge to the public, Network Rail have decided that they are not able to spend money restoring the bridge. However, they are willing to offer their budgeted removal costs of £250k to the pot if we are able to find other funding. In saying this, they have given us an ultimatum to find likely sources of external funding, possibly as much as £500k, before the end of December 2016. Therefore, there is a new urgency to take action.
We are asking you to sign this petition to show your support. We also encourage you to sign our other petition on Change.org:
www.change.org/p/network-rail-save-the-heritage-footbridge-at-alton-station-in-hampshire
If you want to know more, please see our website www.friendsofaltonstation.org.uk and if you want to add extra support, please do become a member and/or make a donation. Many thanks for reading this and we do hope that you will be able to add your name to our petitions.
