Thames Path closed at Westferry to Cascades.

The Canal & River Trust closed the bridge next to the Cascades building in mid July, following an engineering report that declared the bridge unsafe. This has closed off a whole section of path.

It initially appeared that the closure was temporary, not least to the ramshakle way in which some cones were put across the path, with a diversion notice on a sheet of A4 paper in acrylic stuck into the top of a traffic cone.

Frustrated users of the path are passing the cones then discovering the gates at the far end are locked. Someone has torn down a steel fence in order to climb over, rather than going back and going around such a lengthy detour.

This gives them access to the bridge, but the gates are locked at the far end.

Ignoring the locked gates, they climb through this gap. So much for health and safety.

These photos of abandoned Lime Bikes gives evidence of users preferring to scale the fence than go back around.

Here is a map for the diversion route.

Users of the path have to go up the steps to Westferry Circus. There is a tiny lift to the right hand side of the steps.

The route then takes users down the narrowest pavement onto the busy Westferry Road.

However, there is a lift far end of the building shown below. There are no signposts to the lift, but it is there.

The Thames Path used to connect to Westferry Road before the bridge, but the construction works for two tall towers have blocked that section of the path off. The site has not restarted since the lockdown.

This means that the construction site is currently on top of the path. Reclaim Our River are pushing for the construction company to reopen this section of the path now.