Campaigners fight to save city footbridge

Leazes footbridge in Durham City was closed in July 2023

Campaigners have urged a council not to demolish a city footbridge they describe as an "iconic landmark".

Leazes footbridge in Durham, which crosses the A690, was closed in July 2023 due to structural issues.

Durham County Council said the defects could not be repaired and the structure had been earmarked for demolition.

Debbie Hills, who lives near the bridge, said it was "used and loved" and that plans for an alternative pedestrian crossing were "ludicrous".

'Incensed'

The bridge provides access from Claypath to the city centre and the riverside.

After an initial temporary closure notice was erected in July, another one was posted in February this year.

It said the bridge would be closed “to enable footbridge repair works to be undertaken”, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

But just four days later, the council announced the bridge would be demolished.

It was "a complete shock", Ms Hill said.

“We know how dangerous the crossing is and I just feel incensed.”

Leazes footbridge will be replaced by a new pedestrian crossing at the Gilesgate roundabout

Ms Hills has set up an online petition calling for the bridge to be saved, which has more than 400 signatures.

But the council said multiple surveys show the structure is no longer safe to bear the weight of pedestrians.

The bridge will be replaced by a new pedestrian crossing at the existing traffic lights at Gilesgate Roundabout.

'Inaccessible'

Mark Readman, head of highway services at the local authority, said: “We have a duty to protect public safety.

“The footbridge was built in 1974, and does not comply with modern standards. It is also inaccessible to wheelchair users.”

The city’s Labour MP Mary Kelly Foy is also concerned about the plans.

In a letter to Liberal Democrat council leader Amanda Hopgood, Ms Foy said: “This route is well used by people, and is a lifeline for those with mobility issues, for whom the walk around the Gilesgate roundabout is either too far – approximately a quarter of a mile more – or simply too daunting."

Ms Foy also said residents and local councillors were informally advised that a new bridge would cost around £5m.