The Windsor Coach Park footbridge has reopened today after months of closure.

It comes nearly a week earlier than expected, with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead originally saying it wouldn't open until Tuesday, May 7.

Just in time for the bank holiday weekend the council hopes the extensive refurbishment will improve the sense of arrival for thousands of residents and tourists visiting the town this bank holiday weekend.

In January, the Royal Borough temporarily closed the bridge for the revamp, which included refurbishment of the lift, cleaning and repainting the steel structure, preventative maintenance, anti-corrosion works, installation of new lighting and cleaning the Perspex canopy.

Thanks to the timely removal of scaffolding and prioritising swift completion of final works, the council has been able to reopen the footbridge early.

Improvements to the footbridge will help enhance the overall experience and welcome to Windsor town centre, as part of the wider “Vision for Windsor”, with the investment coming from Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Councillor Amy Tisi, Cabinet member for children’s services, education and Windsor, said: “I was privileged to be one of the first to traverse the refurbished footbridge and I think many people will be equally impressed by the transformation that’s taken place at this gateway – a key action within the ‘Vision for Windsor’.

“Attention to the footbridge was long overdue and necessary to avoid further deterioration. But now it’s great we have an entry point to our town that gives a better first impression and warmer sense of welcome.

"I’m also really pleased we’ve been able to work with contractors to prioritise reopening sooner, before the weekend, which I’m sure will be welcomed by many businesses.”

Councillor Geoff Hill, Cabinet member for highways and transport, customer service centre and employment, added: “The refurbished bridge looks great and complements user-friendly upgrades to nine Windsor car parks, including the Coach Park itself, which were recently undertaken in tandem as part of enhancing the sense of welcome to Windsor. 

“We’ve worked hard to minimise the impact on businesses during the footbridge works, which included pushing to reopen sooner than previously announced, before the busy bank holiday weekend.

"We’d like to thank businesses for their support and patience during the works. In return for everyone’s patience, I’d proud to say we now have a revamped gateway to Windsor which will serve the town well for many years to come.”