ESSENTIAL repairs to footbridges on the M4 motorway will be made possible through a £345,000 cash boost from the government.

Slough Borough Council has received funds for their nearly £500,000 project to fix 110 metres of different bridges which provide a vital link for pedestrians and cyclists to use as they move between Langley and Colnbrook on either side of the busy M4 junction five.

Work will start this year when repairs will be done to the 14 crumbling bearings where the decking of the walkways meets the pillars which anchors the structure to the ground.

The railings on the walkway will also be updated and replaced.

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The funding was awarded last Friday and was provided by the Department of Transport where the council’s slice came from £93.4 million pot available by the government to repair roads, drainage system and bridges across the country.

Councillor Rob Anderson, cabinet member for transport and environmental services, said: “Without this funding and work the bridge may not be able to be used in the future, preventing people from using what is a vital link connecting the north and south of the borough.

“The repair work will increase the longevity of the bridge for up to another 30 years.

“The bid was secured whilst being pitted against many other laudable schemes, so it is a credit to the highway teams.”

Tan Dhesi, Slough MP, tweeted: “Great to hear that Labour-led @SloughCouncil has been successful in their application for much-needed funding for the #Langley footbridge.”