Stepping stones crossing the Hogsmill River in Ewell, Surrey, installed in 1983, are slated for removal amid concerns over public safety. The Environment Agency has expressed its intention to take down the stones due to health and safety risks, following several months during which the crossing has been submerged.

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s environment committee recently convened to consider the future of the stepping stones. While the Environment Agency indicated it would remove the structure unless another body assumed responsibility for its upkeep, the council ultimately decided not to take on that role.

The committee reviewed four possible courses of action outlined in a report by countryside manager Stuart Cocker: maintaining the existing stones, constructing a new footbridge alongside the stones, removing the stones without replacement, or removing them and building a footbridge instead. After deliberation, council members opted for the latter, agreeing to remove the stepping stones and replace them with a footbridge.

Liz Frost, councillor and chair of the environment committee, noted that the current crossing is not accessible to many residents due to the difficulty of navigating the steps and stones. “When we went to look at them, getting down those steps and across the stepping stones is not for a lot of people. You’ve got to be reasonably able-bodied,” she said.

The stepping stones are located adjacent to Chamber Meads within the Hogsmill Local Nature Reserve. The proposed footbridge, estimated to cost over £100,000 including design fees, aims to provide a safer and more accessible crossing for the public.

The removal and replacement plan reflects growing concerns about the risks associated with the submerged stones and the need to provide safer infrastructure for the community. The timeline for removal and construction has not yet been specified by the council.