Bridge 'stuck up like sore thumb' back in use

The repairs in Maryport have been paid for with £75,000 funding from Cumberland Council

A broken footbridge which was "stuck up in the air like a sore thumb" for more than 18 months is back in use after being repaired.

The structure at the Elizabeth Dock in Maryport, Cumbria, was designed to be raised to allow boats in and out of the harbour when water levels are high.

However, it had been in an upright position since December 2023 with the town's harbour authority saying it could not meet the cost of having it fixed.

Following financial support from Cumberland Council, contractor Forth Engineering was appointed in May and the crossing was back in use for last weekend's Taste of the Sea food festival.

Council leader Mark Fryer, who previously told the BBC the crossing had been "stuck up in the air like a sore thumb", said there were "lessons to be learned about not looking after assets in a proper fashion".

He revealed the repair work had a budget of £75,000 and additional funding would be needed to fix lighting around the harbour "which again has not been looked after properly".

The footbridge was back in use for the first time during last weekend's Taste of the Sea food festival

The bridge was built in 2007 and gifted to Maryport Harbour and Marina Ltd by what was then Cumbria County Council.

In May this year the harbour organisation said a range of hydraulic and electrical issues had been identified but that the estimated costs were "significantly beyond" its financial capacity.

Welcoming the reopening, a spokesman warned "further essential maintenance work is ongoing".

"This includes adjustments to the locking pin mechanism, barrier arms and the electrical control system."

In relation to the area's lighting, he said: "All assets have a lifespan. Even with regular maintenance and inspection [they] still require substantial works at some point."

He added harbour bosses were working with Cumberland Council's lighting department and awaiting a plan to install replacements, with the local authority "continuing to maintain all functional lights on our behalf".