A family in the Wye Valley have been left "completely cut-off" from their farm land in Brockweir because of an emergency closure to a 19th century railway bridge.

Concrete bollards have been installed at either end of Wireworks Bridge, which crosses the Wye at Tintern, after it was issued with an emergency road closure on August 18 for up to 18 months.

Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire county councils closed the bridge because it was not considered safe for motor vehicles, and warning signs had been either ignored or removed.

The bollards were installed to stop vehicles trying to use the access, but the move has left the Simpson family, which owns Ferry Farm in Brockweir, without suitable access to their land.

The bridge was originally built in 1874 as a branch of the Wye Valley Railway to reach the wireworks in Tintern, and has carried a public footpath across the Wye since the line closed in 1935.

Caroline Simpson, whose parents own the land at Ferry Farm, said the family had been "completely cut off" by the closure.

She said: "The bridge has got so much history attached to it and it’s our only access to our land.

"Now we are unable to get to our land - we’re cut off.

"The land needs to be maintained and my dad needs to get agricultural vehicles across to service the land."

While there is an alternative access route to the land, Ms Simpson says that it is "impassable" and "not a viable option", and that the only safe vehicle access has been taken away.

"Our fear is that they’re not going to reopen it", she added.

"You can’t take someone’s driveway away. We all go there daily".

Both Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire county councils have said that the closure is necessary because of the "deterioration" of the bridge.

But the family disagrees, and recently commissioned an independent survey in which the surveyor found no "significant changes" to its condition to merit the emergency closure.

The survey says: "My initial reaction was one of surprise, having used the bridge regularly and maintained an interest in the structural condition over the previous nine years.

"Maintenance of the structure had clearly been neglected, but I had not witnessed a sudden deterioration that I felt would lead to an emergency closure.

"With your assistance, I was given the opportunity to inspect the bridge soffit from the river on a high tide, and I was also unable to identify any significant changes in condition from below."

It goes on to say: "There may be a sound case for vehicle closure, but this has not been disclosed to date."

Caroline has started an online petition, which has received more than 650 signatures, calling for the bridge to reopen.

She protested on the bridge with her children on August 18, the day she was told the bollards would be installed.

"My parents bought Ferry Farm in Tintern with a right of way to access it over Tintern Bridge", the petition reads. 

"This is our only passable access and it has now been taken away from us by Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire County Councils.

"They have cut us off from our property and land over the river Wye and bridge, by placing barrier bollards either end of the old bridge making it impossible to access our land by car.

"Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) also need access across it as they have permission to use our river landing if needed whilst exercising and for emergencies.

"We have barely been consulted with regards to the councils’ plans, equipment and farm machinery are now inaccessible to service our land."

Kath Haworth, head of highways for Gloucestershire County Council said: "We fully appreciate the inconvenience caused to residents and businesses who are impacted by the closure of this bridge to vehicles and apologise for the disturbance.

"However, this closure is necessary because of the deterioration in the condition of the bridge which has several defects, cracking and widespread corrosion and we have a duty to ensure users of the bridge are safe.

"At the moment the bridge has been closed to vehicles so the bridge is only to be used by pedestrians and cyclists.

"Joint work with Monmouthshire County Council is planned to repair the bridge in Autumn 2022.

"Meanwhile, we will work with those who are particularly struggling with the impact of the closure to see what more we can do to support them."

The emergency road closure is not expected to last longer than 18 months, with works scheduled for Autumn 2022.

The costs of the repairs will be shared equally between the two councils.

To view the petition, go to www.change.org/p/david-davies-mp-keeping-tintern-bridge-open-our-only-vehicular-access