A footbridge used for years as a crossing over Wandsworth Common rail could be blocked from public use, as Southern Rail seeks to stake its claim.

Wandsworth Times:

Signs appeared in the past few days stating that the footbridge is 'not dedicated as a public right of way', despite its common use.

Mark Solon, who uses the pedestrian bridge to take his children to the common, said he spotted the notice on Monday morning.

He said that the alternative for pedestrians is a dangerous option of crossing the narrow traffic bridge and believes the crossing has been in use for more than a century.

By law, paths become public rights of way if there has been common practice to use them for at least 20 years.

He said: "It looks like Southern rail are going to block it off so that people cannot access it unless they have tickets.

"We live on the other side and use the bridge to take our kids to the common.

"The traffic bridge is narrow and if they have their scooters, they could quite easily scoot off into the traffic."

Mr Solon also noticed that the car park is the opposite side to the ticket office, meaning if people needed to leave their cars before buying a ticket, they would have to walk a long way around in order to get back to the ticket office.

Wandsworth Times:

A Southern spokesman said: "As part of our franchise agreement with the Government, we are obliged to install ticket gates at Wandsworth Common by April to stop fare dodgers and increase security at the station.

"This is part of a nationwide initiative to save the country £200 million a year in fare evasion that could otherwise be invested in better services for honest fare-paying passengers.

"Wherever possible, we try to keep our footbridges open for everyone, and at Sanderstead, for example, we can.

"But unfortunately, at Wandsworth Common, this is just not possible: we’ve looked at splitting the footbridge in two but it is too narrow and the island platform is not wide enough to safely put in gates at the bottom of the steps - both would breach safety standards.

"This is a railway-owned bridge and we do not believe it is a public right of way. There are no rights of way marked on the plans of our lease with Network Rail, and Wandsworth Council has confirmed that they do not believe a public right of way runs across the footbridge.

"Regrettable as it is, there is an adequate pedestrian route spanning the railway lines in the form of Bellevue Road. Passengers without a ticket will be able to buy one from one of the two ticket machines on this side of the bridge."

Nightingale ward Councillor Sarah McDermott said it would be a crying shame for the bridge to be lost to public access.

She said: "I quite understand that Southern has to stop fraud but I am sure if they put their thinking caps on, they could come up with another way to protect the station and keep it open.

"I have been a councillor in Nightingale for nine years and have lived here for 30 years and that has been a recognised public route from Endlesham Road to St James' Road for an awful long time.

"There would be outrage if it was closed. We will be standing up for our residents - watch this space."