THOUSANDS of local residents have signed a petition calling for the urgent repair and reopening of a historic bridge in Monmouthshire.

Inglis Bridge, which leads into Vauxhall Fields, was built by the army in 1931, and had been closed to traffic in February 2018, and more recently to pedestrians as a matter of urgent “public safety”, following a recent inspection by structural engineers.

The Grade II-listed bridge is owned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and maintained by the Reserve Forces and Cadets’ Association for Wales.  

Local councillor for Osbaston ward, Jane Lucas, started a petition earlier this month desperately calling on the Ministry of Defence to begin the much-needed renovation of the bridge and reopen it to the public.

Cllr Lucas’ calls come six years after then Monmouth MP David Davies called on the Ministry of Defence to “stump up the cash” to repair the bridge.

She argues that although the MOD are aware of the “urgent repairs” required, nothing has been done, despite the bridge being a “vital artery” for the community, particularly as active travel is being encouraged.

According to Cllr Lucas, there was a budget being put aside for the bridge repairs following an inspection in 2017, when some temporary work was completed, but after the RAC building crisis, much of that budget was put into solving that issue.  

It was after the most recent inspection a few weeks ago that the bridge was completely closed as engineers noticed there had been a significant deterioration in the state of a number of elements of the bridge.

Cllr Lucas launched a petition on Change.org calling for the permanent repairs to begin on the bridge on October 5.

She said: “The closure of this bridge has had a profound impact on our community, particularly affecting our children’s ability to walk and cycle to school safely, increasing road congestion as parents are now forced to drive.

“The bridge also supports essential activities like dog walking, shopping, and general active travel, all of which are key to improving mental health and well-being.

“We ask the MoD to prioritize funding to restore this valuable infrastructure. Reopening Vauxhall / Inglis Bridge is essential for both the environment and the well-being of our community. We cannot afford to lose this important resource.”

The petition, which can be found here, has currently garnered more than 1,300 signatures.

The Ministry of Defence have said that the refurbishment of the bridge is “subject to funding availability”.

A spokesperson added: “We are working with Monmouthshire Council and relevant stakeholders to mitigate the impact of the closure of Inglis Bridge, which was necessary for public safety.

“The bridge is a listed structure which has been deteriorating for some time and a scheme to refurbish it has been approved.”

Monmouthshire County Council have also previously confirmed they are working with the Ministry of Defence and are “aware of the importance of the route”.