Work has restarted on the multi-million pound Rother Tidal Walls East project, just months after the Environment Agency said the original contract had been completed and footpaths by the river would re-open in the spring this year. The new work is a contract extension to deal with erosion next to Monkbretton Bridge in Rye.
A huge 400 tonne crawler crane is now on site, along with a new compound for equipment and a heavy duty road next to Rye Rugby Club.
In a note to residents in nearby houses, contractors Volker Stevin explained the new work is to protect the river’s eastern embankment south of the bridge. “We will be installing around 50 metres of steel sheet piles (supports) along the bottom (toe) of the existing embankment. These supports are driven into the ground to help strengthen the riverbank and reduce erosion.”
Once the piling work is complete and the crane removed, further work will take place until September. “Work will continue by preparing the riverbank and adding protective rock. The built up silt will be removed before placing a layer of large rocks (weighing between 40–200kg each) behind the new sheet piles. This will help strengthen the riverbank, protects it from erosion and reduces the risk of future damage during high river flows.”
Dr Anthony Kimber, who leads for REACT – Rye’s local resilience team – said, “The work is vital but given the size of the plant and the heavy engineering involved, there will be significant noise and ground movement as they drive the piles into the bank.”
£36 million has already been spent on the three year Rother Tidal Walls East project which began in 2022. It forms part of a strategy designed to protect the entire Romney Marsh coastline from Folkestone to Cliff End. A new salt marsh has been created at Camberfields and the Rother’s eastern bank has been raised by half a metre and widened by 5m.
The Environment Agency has been approached for comment on the added cost of the new work.
Image Credits: James Stewart , Rye News .
Necessary, yes, but let’s hope they have actually undertaken the proper surveys and modelling work required to do this unlike their disastrous work on the Brede a couple of years ago. Also good luck to nearby homeowners faced with weeks/months of pile driving
Can I ask why they haven’t reopened the footpath along the river near Rye waterspouts that leads to the path on Rye golf course? These are not anywhere near the work taking place and it would be lovely to get those routes back open asap.
I too am very keen to know this. That walk was a highlight and there should be no reason to not reopen this. It’s been too long!
Jacqui. We will ask. The contractor has a Whatsapp group for local residents and those with direct interests in the project.
Anthony
Anthony Kimber MBE PhD
Leader REACT
This erosion problem has been in existance for many years. It is cause by the alignment of Monkbretton Bridge to the bend in the channel just downstream. Ebb and flood flows are directed straight at that section of bank. In the 1960s-1980s in the days of local engineers who knew the river well, the created sediment shoal on the west bank causing the problem just downstream of the bridge, was removed by excavating it with a excavator in a pontoon. The material was placed on either bank where it was removedby lorries and used for bank protection or filling low lying areas, and the erosion contained. Later, when the sediment was found to be contaminated from residues from the old Rye Chemical works, other erosion techniques were tried using gabion mattresses, and later a bio- erosion scheme using stakes and reeds. Both failed either collapsing by being eroded including just moving the erosion further downstream opposite the fish market site. It is hoped that the hard solution being created works this time, and that downstrean erosion is not created which will need eliminating.
Jacqui Maxted. Discussed your query with EA and the contractor. The answer is it was a site team decision ” that the footpaths remain closed and they are to be closed until completion of the maintenance period, which is 2 years after completion of the project.”
However the ” Environment Agency is now exploring the option of changing that to some extent to enable the opening of certain sections of the footpath in a shorter time frame.” I will raise again in future contacts.
I hope that this is helpful.
Anthony
Thank you for this update and your work for the Rye community. I searched and found no WhatsApp group for this project under the contractor’s name, VolkerStevin. There seems no reason why the footpath from Scots Float to Monkbretton Bridge cannot be re-opened. It has been completed and the grass looks to be well established. The cows are allowed on it so not sure why people can’t be?
The cows are very much banned from the new works, as are sheep !
It does seam bazaar that a company that are so passionate about their green credentials and reducing their carbon footprint, are regularly mowing all the grass on this new scheme. There are plenty of sheep the other side of the fence that would do it for free and do a better job of it.
A team decision? Roughly translates to ‘it’s all about what is convenient for us’
What maintenance? Apart from grass cutting in easy to get at areas, what else is being ‘maintained’ and how?
When was the two years ‘maintenance’ period decided? Every time the project staggers from one extension to another the pathway opening date moves further into the future. Looking at the current info it would seem the Monkbretton bridge to Scots Float section of the Saxon Way will be closed for over five years. There needs to be a full and detailed explanation as to what is being maintained, why it is being maintained and how it justifies the public footpath closure.