Barston Bridge Consultation

1. Answer honestly — you are not required to support both options!

You are not obliged to identify benefits of closure if you do not believe they exist.

 

• It is acceptable to state:
  “I do not believe there are benefits to closing the bridge.”

• If you feel any suggested benefits are minor or outweighed by harm, say so clearly.

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Avoid guessing or inventing advantages simply because the question asks for them.

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2. Specific examples are more influential than general statements.

 

Where relevant, explain:

 

• How often you use the bridge

• Why you use it (work, school, healthcare, caring responsibilities, business, social connection)

• What would change if it closed (extra distance, time, cost, safety concerns)

Example:  “Closing the bridge would add approximately 25 minutes to my journey to work and require travel on narrower, less safe roads.”

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3. Consider all types of impact

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Think beyond convenience alone. Impacts may include:

Community and social impacts

• Isolation of residents

• Access to schools, GP surgeries, hospitals, shops

• Effects on elderly residents, families, or those without cars

Economic impacts

• Local businesses, farms and services

• Tradespeople, deliveries, tourism

• Increased travel costs

Safety and emergency access

• Ambulance, fire and police response times

• Alternative routes in poor weather or flooding

Environmental impacts

• Longer journeys and increased emissions

• Traffic displacement to other villages or rural lanes

• Impacts on walking, cycling or equestrian use

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4. Think beyond the parish

The bridge serves a wider purpose than individual journeys.

 

You may wish to comment on:

• Connectivity between communities

• Whether closure would simply move traffic problems elsewhere

• Consistency with wider policies (rural sustainability, climate goals, active travel)

 

5. Use free-text boxes fully

Free-text answers are often the most important part of a consultation.

Tips:

 

• Use complete sentences

• Be clear and calm in tone

• Repeat key points if they apply to more than one question (this helps reinforce important themes)

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6. Be consistent

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Try to ensure your answers do not contradict each other.

If you oppose closure:

 

• Make sure this is clear throughout your responses

• If you acknowledge a theoretical benefit of closure, explain why it does not outweigh the harm

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7. Remember how consultation responses are used

Responses are often:

 

• Counted and summarised

• Quoted in reports

• Used to justify decisions

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What you write becomes part of the formal evidence base. Clear, reasoned responses carry more weight than short or ambiguous ones.

 

8. You can submit your own view

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Each response counts. You do not need technical expertise to take part — lived experience matters.

 

Final reminder

This consultation is a referendum and the majority 51% counts.Thoughtful, well-explained responses help ensure the importance of the bridge is properly understood.

 

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