The Ash Footbridge Project Is Further Delayed – Will It Ever Go Ahead?

Published on: 15 Dec, 2025
Updated on: 16 Dec, 2025

The Ash road bridge opened in February – but the planned footbridge is now in doubt

By David Reading

Construction of the proposed new footbridge over the railway at Ash Station has been further delayed – with still no certainty that the project will ever go ahead.

Network Rail’s latest statement, in answer to a Freedom of Information request (FoI), said there had been a change in the original design – and “a new feasibility study” was being conducted.

This suggests that a previous feasibility study – mentioned by Network Rail in correspondence with the Guildford Dragon and thought to be taking place in 2024 and 2025 – did not reach a conclusion.

With pedestrian safety in mind, the footbridge has been discussed for years as an important part of Guildford Borough Council’s ambitious plans to build a road bridge over the railway. The road bridge opened in February 2025 but the footbridge project seems no further forward.

Cllr Sue Wyeth-Price

Guildford borough councillor Sue Wyeth-Price (R4GV, Ash South) has now received a response to her FoI request for an update – and this shows there are still serious doubts about the future of the footbridge project.

It was back in January 2024, when she first asked for a progress report, that Network Rail said they would be “providing a feasibility study for a footbridge” – suggesting that this had already been completed. The statement added: “The design work will not begin until sometime in the new financial year (2024-25).”

With no updates forthcoming, her latest enquiry requested a copy of the feasibility study and asked what stage the design work had reached.

Network Rail’s reply said: “I can confirm that we do not hold (the requested) information. There has been a change in the design of the original footbridge, meaning that a new feasibility study and design plan are currently being worked on. This means that we do not hold a complete version of either document currently. There should be more information about the study, overall design and any start dates for construction from the end of February 2026.”

Cllr Wyeth-Price said this week: “I am extremely disappointed that there are further delays with the footbridge. It has always been GBC’s stated position that there are safety concerns at the crossing and those concerns were used to justify the road bridge.

“Other FoI requests submitted show that the vast majority of those safety incidents are down to pedestrians and cyclists, yet GBC have dropped the footbridge from their plans, and now there is no clear indication that it will be built by Network Rail. The safety of pedestrian and cyclists using the crossing seems to have been largely discarded.”

In September 2023, during a public information session held for residents, one of the most frequently asked questions was: How will pedestrians get across the railway when the road bridge is open?

The council’s reply was: “The level crossing will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists after the bridge is open and until such time as a footbridge is installed.”

Earlier this year (2025) the Guildford Dragon asked Network Rail for an update on several occasions but received no solid information.

Guildford Borough Council was also unforthcoming. A statement said: “Network Rail is the lead agency for the development of a footbridge at Ash Station and are best placed to update you on this project.”

When the road bridge project was approved in 2021, councillors spoke as if the footbridge was a foregone conclusion.

John Rigg, who was the lead for major projects at that time, said: “The road bridge, and planned footbridge, provides badly needed infrastructure investment following regeneration of the area, especially the arrival of new housing. The plan is to make the area safer for cyclists and pedestrians, and less congested for drivers while also improving air quality.”

Paul Spooner, who represented Ash South, said: “I very much welcome this (road bridge) project and also welcome the confirmation that a footbridge will be coming forward for approval in the next few months.”

That was January 2021.

In March 2022 Network Rail also spoke as if the footbridge was a foregone conclusion. A spokesperson said: “We are very pleased to be working with Guildford Borough Council to close this level crossing, which has a history of misuse by pedestrians. The proposed footbridge will also make it easier for passengers at Ash to change between services on the Alton and North Downs lines.”

In September 2023, the assumption still seemed to exist that the footbridge would be built.

Discussing pedestrian access to Ash railway station, the council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Tom Hunt, said: “I can confirm that the level crossing will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists after the bridge is open and until such time as a footbridge is installed.”

In December 2023, GBC was asked by the Dragon: Do you have a clear idea when work will start on the footbridge, and when it is likely to open?

The answer was: “At present, Network Rail is undertaking the feasibility study for the footbridge. They will then prepare detailed design documents. We will submit a planning application when the feasibility report and detailed design information are received. The actual work on constructing the footbridge will be Network Rail’s responsibility.”

But in January 2024 the news was not good.

Following an FoI request instigated by Cllr Wyeth-Price, Network Rail said: “It is not a foregone conclusion that the bridge will be built. Firstly, it has to pass planning consultation which the developing council will be pursuing and then funding has to be found within Network Rail to complete the scheme.”

The statement said: “Without the more detailed design, which is not done yet, we do not have a price for the scheme and therefore do not know if it is affordable. A likely timescale to understand the costs will be minimum six months and then if affordable, installation would be within the next five years.”

That was almost two years ago. Judging by the response to Cllr Wyeth-Price’s latest FoI request, it seems doubtful whether the project will ever go ahead.