Who goes around sweeping bridges? I do! Some may call me daft, but the mud left on the wooden bridges allow them to rot, which ultimately causes them to become unsafe and require replacement. Replacement costs us, as Central Beds residents, money to fund materials and a contractor to replace the bridge. So if a little maintenance can delay replacing the bridge for a while it saves hassle and ensures the path remains accessible.
This is a bridge on the path (TOD10) runs from Herne Poplar towards Herne Manor farms, parallel to Park Road. It is located between two arable fields, so many walkers (including myself) scrap their boots of mud on the bridge. As a result the mud has built up on the bridge, this allows grass and weeds to grow. The mud means that the wood remain damp which allows the wood to rot. In this case the two uprights and several deck boards have rotted.
If you do scrape your boots can you try and kick the mud off the bridge on to the banks, not the watercourse. This should help the bridge to survive just a little bit longer.
