Plans to destroy the walkway which has led fans safely to and from Wembley Stadium since the 70s has made residents fearful.

While many would mourn the loss of an iconic structure that's been part of the home of English football for nearly half a decade, others fear for safety of visitors if plans go ahead.

The raised walkway was originally built to provide a safe pathway for fans to the stadium away from traffic.

And as a ramp it also serves wheelchair users and people with mobility needs.

Plans submitted by Wembley Park developers, Quintain, wish to demolish the concourse and replace it with a set of steps to make way for more "useable spaces at street level."

The pedway would be demolished to make way for a ground-level pedestrianised zone

In its application, submitted to Brent Council on Tuesday (March 13), it outlines plans for a temporary event space, street furniture, advertising banners and trees to be put down in place of the current pedway.

Members of the public fear steps will not only make the stadium less accessible but will also make more difficult to evacuate in an emergency.

One Sheerness on Sea resident commented: "How are the disabled people going to get to the stadium with all them steps? Personally I would not want to push someone right round the other side of the stadium where there is a hill to get to the bridge and the stadium."

A temporary event space, street furniture, advertising banners and trees could replace the pedway

An Elm Gardens, Wembley resident wrote: "The present pedway provides not only ease of ingress and egress from the stadium but the safest and quickest platform for mass evacuation.

There are plans to replace the ramps with a set of steps



"Just imagine an emergency requiring mass evacuation from the stadium. Even in ordinary times step by step egress will slow down exit times and poses a danger of people tripping."

getwestlondon's coverage of the pedway possibly being axed also got some strong reactions on Facebook.

Your reactions to plans to axe Wembley Stadium walkway

In its plans to remove the ramps Quintain said: "It is recognised that any replacement solution must meet all the safety and operational needs of the National Stadium."

Wembley Stadium's pedestrian walkway has been in place since the 1970s

A Quintain spokesman said: “We can confirm that a planning application for the replacement of the Olympic Way Pedway ramps with steps has been submitted to London Borough of Brent.

"It has been Brent Council and Quintain’s long held ambition to replace the ramps with a more attractive but equally functional alternative.

"We look forward to progressing through the planning process in the coming weeks and months, working closely with Brent Council and the FA."

The application is currently open for consultation and members of the public can comment on it on Brent Council's website here.

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