A WAR of words has broken out in Bradford on Avon, with claims made that a £5,000 pedestrian river bridge feasibility study had been commissioned before the decision to spend the money had been properly made.

The issue of a second pedestrian footbridge was first raised in May when the area board proposed the £5,000 study, which would be split between the area board and the town council, which would look to improve pedestrian access and safety in the town.

Following clerical errors that prevented the area board approving the sum in July, the project was finally ratified at the area board meeting last Wednesday (September 14), but not without causing a heated debate.

Bradford on Avon town councillor Martin Newman said: “How can you give a progress report on something that has not even been approved– I find this totally unacceptable.

"It was not on the agenda booklet, there are errors in the packs that have not been corrected but are still being reported. The area board did not agree to commission this study in May, as there was a clerical error.

“This is putting out false information and this whole thing does not follow the democratic process.”

The study, which is being carried out by Bradford on Avon architectural company Labox and Bath-based structural engineers, Momentum, also looks at options for a river crossing, including topographical, geological and feasibility plans.

Trevor Bedeman, of community group for pedestrian safety, White Stripe Crossings, said: “I propose that this be suspended. Money has been spent ahead of its ratification.

“There needs to be a thorough review of pedestrian safety and traffic intimidation via Wiltshire Council and Phillip Whitehead’s review, not via a bridge planner.”

Cllr Magnus Macdonald, who proposed the scheme, said: “We are trying to be as inclusive as possible and come to a consensus. One of the problems in Bradford on Avon is that it gets bogged down in the details and we do not get much progress.

“This study is looking at the options for a fraction of the cost of other studies and then we can find out if people want it, where it would go and what the considerations and constraints are.”

Cllr Macdonald added that the next phase will be a series of consultations with interested parties, with a public consultation in January, before a proposed exhibition of designs are displayed in March.

Area board Cllr Rosemary Brown added: “This has been agreed and discussed at length in previous meetings so I do not know why we are still debating this – we need to ratify this.”