TEMPORARY repairs to Haslemere’s “barely fit for purpose” railway footbridge linking Kings Road to Wey Hill, have reignited calls for the long-promised new footbridge to be installed.

Residents using the popular shortcut to get to and from the shops were also angry Network Rail gave no advance notice of the closure last Tuesday, which added an extra 30 minutes walking time in order to cross the track.

The footbridge remained closed until the weekend, while Network Rail renewed several steps.

Plans for a second footbridge that could also accommodate pushchairs and cycles were first proposed in the 1990s to link the new Tesco and Herons Leisure Centre. But a £1million overspend on the latter meant it was abandoned due to lack of cash in 1999.

Haslemere resident Janice Hopwood said: “For those people who regularly use this bridge, I am sure the closure was not only a source of frustration and inconvenience, but it comes as no surprise.

“The bridge has been subject to running, make-do-and-mend repairs for several years and in recent times could be considered dangerous and barely fit for purpose.

“No doubt the bridge will once again be cobbled together and those that depend upon using it on a daily basis will be expected to be satisfied with whatever Network Rail provides.

“What I, and I am sure many other residents, would like to know is, what happened to those plans for the new bridge? Why was one of the biggest benefits to the community dangled tantalisingly under our noses in order to promote the planning application process and then swiftly snatched away once planning permission had been granted?