Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the causes of delays in repairing bridge 142 in Runnymede and Weybridge constituency.

To ensure public safety and prevent access to the bridge, Egham Hythe (Bridge 142) will be closed until the Environment Agency (EA) has completed the necessary repair. Following a tree strike in 2023 the EA has conducted several specialist surveys of this bridge which identified cracks within the iron structure. The bridge refurbishment will require Defra grant in aid funding to be allocated to it and we will ensure this forms part of future Government Spending Review bids. Any temporary crossing would similarly require new Defra funding in order to be progressed. The EA is, however, exploring possible routes for partnership funding, which may help accelerate the refurbishment programme