Wouldn’t it be lovely to have a riverside we can be proud of? Many Weybridge residents recall how attractive our local stretch of Thames riverside was, up until autumn 2009 (see our main picture). A well-tended riverbank where people could sit on the grass in the sunshine or in the shade of a tree, and enjoy fine views and tranquility.
Then the Environment Agency cut down the trees and fenced off this prime stretch, between Weybridge Ladies ARC and the foot ferry, in the course of works to install concrete moorings. They left the temporary fence in place and the riverbank untended for five years, despite local protests. It looked like this in 2014.
PPDRA along with local residents pressed for access to the riverbank to be restored and the brambles removed…
…and the mesh fence was eventually removed, and the brambles that had grown up behind it were strimmed.
But the riverbank has subsequently been left untended, and has again become an unattractive bramble patch. Below is a photo of the same stretch of riverside as in our main picture, showing how it looks in September 2016: overgrown, with brambles and scrubby growth obstructing access and views.
This is the first length of riverside seen by people joining the Thames Path at Weybridge. It is a significant local amenity. Surely it deserves some TLC?
We want to see this important piece of riverside getting the care it deserves, with a proper mowing regime to maintain it as a grassy riverbank people can enjoy. Together with the Weybridge Society, we are lobbying councillors to bring back regular mowing of the grass along this prime stretch of riverbank, to give residents something they can be proud of once more.
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