The future of a historic Wye Valley footbridge which is used by 20,000 walkers a year will be secured by April 2023, council chiefs have pledged.

Forest of Dean residents had feared that the delays to fix a bureaucratic blunder could lead to the loss of the Black Bridge which connects Lower Lydbrook to Welsh Bicknor in Herefordshire.

The Gloucestershire half of the former railway bridge was never registered as a public right of way.

This oversight came to light when Gloucestershire County Council agreed to temporary repairs to reopen the bridge after a lottery grant bid for more permanent repairs was rejected in 2018.

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The bridge forms part of the 136-mile Wye Valley Way and is used every year by more than 20,000 walkers. 

But Gloucestershire County Council did not register it on the definitive map after the footpath was established in 1981.

While the bridge is currently open, many residents fear the lack of legal protection puts the route at risk of closure and campaigners have been calling on the council to register the route on the definitive map.

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Forest of Dean District Councillor Sid Phelps asked the council’s commons and rights of commons and rights of way committee if they could give a date for when it would be registered.

Traffic manager Philip Cameron explained a series of events, including the diversion of the actual footpath RLY1, Covid, change in staff, and the processing of other higher priority applications has impacted on the processing of this application. 

“However, this council continues to demonstrate its commitment to keeping the bridge open, and we aim to get the route formally recorded on the Definitive Map of Public Rights of Way this financial year,” he said.