Regarding this post:

13 days after I sent them an email, I did actually get a reply from Thames Water about the closed footpath.

“I have been advised by the Site Manager that the footpath you are referring to has been closed due to engineering works taking place at the site. We are looking at reopening the footpath for a short period in around 20 week’s time, but will close again once we start work on the new Desalination Plant.”

Not quite the reply I’d hoped for, but I thought it was nice of a large company such as Thames Water to actually even reply! I wish though that they would put this information on the big fences they have erected to block off the footpath so that the public know what’s going on.