A POPULAR walking route along the River Colne will remain shut for several months in the interests of safety after part of the quayside started collapsing.

Part of the River Colne quayside, on the south side of Haven Road, Colchester, has started subsiding, with the metal steering attached to the bank starting to detach from the bank.

Colchester Council was forced to shut the adjoining footpath, which links Hythe and Rowhedge, last month to investigate the scale of the problem.

Council officers have been meeting with contractors to discuss the necessary repairs to the riverbank and now believe the situation is worse than first thought.

It had initially been hoped the footpath would only remain shut for a period of weeks, however, due to the severity of the issue, it is now expected to be shut for several months.

Read more: Hythe to Rowhedge footpath closed as part of quay starts collapsing

No diversion is available for the section of river in question and so the entirety of the footpath between King Edward Quay and Rowhedge has been completely closed off.

It will remain closed until repairs can be completed and barriers and signs have been installed at both ends to discourage walkers from using the path.

A spokesperson for Colchester Council said: “This section of the towpath will remain closed for the foreseeable future, whilst we monitor and inspect the stability of the riverbank.

“Right now, our focus is on completing surveys to determine what is happening with the riverbank and how best to repair it.

“We thank the public for their patience as we work through the process to find a repair solution.

“We appreciate this is an inconvenience, however, it is a necessary measure to ensure public safety.”

The spokesman added: “We apologise for any disruption this work will cause and advise the public to put safety first and avoid this stretch of riverbank until repairs are completed and the path reopens.”

The footpath is located near Anglian Water’s sewage works, behind CTruk Marine Services Ltd, and is popular with dog walkers and ramblers travelling along the banks of the River Colne.

Colchester Council said it will update residents on the progress of repairs when it is able to do so.