Bridge 142 - River Thames Egham

Background

Following a tree strike in 2023, an inspection of this 90-year-old bridge highlighted significant safety risks caused by cracks within the cast iron structure and one of the bridge supports.

Keeping the public safe is one of our highest priorities and we therefore closed Bridge 142 in February 2024.

Due to the temporary bridge closure, we have closed the associated section of the Thames path, just south of the Runnymede Bridge/ M25 bridge between the Runnymede Hotel and north of Staines. There is an alternative safe route in place.

We are sympathetic to the concerns raised by the Thames Path organisation and the local community, and we apologise for the ongoing disruption. 

Next steps

Our project delivery team is currently focusing on the necessary environmental surveys to help inform the overall project scope, and these have been taking place during week commencing 10 November 2025. Similarly, ground investigation specialists will be on site on 14 November 2025 to help detail the overall specification of the bridge replacement. Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide an exact date for completion of the work to replace the bridge. We will, however, progress this work as soon as possible alongside the competing priorities of our wider Navigation capital investment programme. 

We will provide a further update later this year with more details. 

Vandalism to the security fencing

We are aware of trespass and vandalism to our security fencing at this location. The security fencing will have to remain in place while we develop the project, and our local team will continue to regularly monitor any further illegal activity.

We urge people not to force or tamper with the fence so that we can maintain safety for all.  

More information 

The route of the diversion can be found on the National Trails website here: Temporary Diversion near Runnymede Bridge - National Trails(External link)

Further information about our Waterways Plan for 2025 can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-waterways-a-plan-for-2025/our-waterways-a-plan-for-2025(External link)

Contact us

If you see damage at this site or any other of our assets, please call our 24-hour Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60. More information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/report-environmental-problem(External link)

Please email enquiries_thm@environment-agency.gov.uk(External link) if you have any further queries, however please note that the most up to date information is on this page.

You can also phone our National Customer Contact Centre on 03708 506 506 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm).