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News on Footpaths           

The Thames Path National Trail – Missing Link

 A petition signed by over l,000 walkers has been presented to the Council by Cllr. David Mackay requesting the creation of the remaining 30m of  footpath needed to provide a continuous traffic free route from Boulter’s Lock  to Maidenhead Bridge. Direct access to the Thames Path from Bridge Gardens in Maidenhead is currently obstructed by double padlocked gates.  The new path would run along the edge of a former boathouse slipway accessed by a flight of steps from Bridge Gardens, which still exist. Evidence of the flight of steps which used to exist on the north side of the slipway can still be seen.   Until a riverside path is provided, walkers have to cross the A4094 twice or walk in the road.    Although a 13m public footpath exists along the frontage of the old boathouse this has been used as a car park ever since it was created in l99l.         The RA are willing for this footpath to be used for car parking, providing an equal length of riverside path is created in exchange.   This would leave only l7m of additional footpath needed to complete the missing link.  The provision of a continuous riverside route for The Thames Path from Boulter’s Lock to Maidenhead Bridge has been outstanding for over two decades.  The scheme was supported by the Countryside Commission and Berkshire County Council in l990.In October l995 it became a corporate Policy of the Council and included in the Local Plan of July l999.The missing link was also included in the Path Improvement Plan approved by the Council in June 2005.  The provision of this small section of riverside path will provide an attractive and safer access to the Thames Path for  thousands of tourists visiting Maidenhead every year.