My frustrations experienced trying to sell trouble free, low maintenance bridges has prompted me to write this book so standards will be raised. This book is intended to assist the following: Footbridge purchasers: Footbridges can and do fail and the best time asset owners have to address that risk is at the time of purchase. This book will, in part, give guidance to the asset owner on preparing the specification and so avoid shortcomings that have been seen in some kit bridges. Professional designers: My intention is not to teach you how to engineer the structure. This book will allow you to take the skills you already have and allow you to recognise where extra care has to be taken. By detailing your bridges well they will age gracefully and exceed your client's expectations. While there is little actual engineering in this book, just detailing, you can find span charts in my other publications: Boardwalk Design Guide Deckwood Selection Guide and Commercial Barrier Guide To some extent this book is my personal journey with footbridges and I recount the mistakes I have made and mistakes made by others. From these you will see how logical timber design is and how easy it can be to design out the durability issues that can be associated with timber. This book will have been a success if purchasers become more discerning in their approach to footbridges in general and designers approach timber footbridges with confidence."