Footbridge demolition begins despite campaign

Leazes Footbridge linked the Gilesgate and Claypath areas of the city and was used by hundreds of people every day

Work to demolish a city centre footbridge has begun, despite campaigners saying it should be saved.

Leazes Footbridge in Durham, which linked the Gilesgate and Claypath areas of the city, was closed in July 2023 due to structural issues.

Durham County Council then said it needed to remove the bridge over safety concerns.

A new signalised pedestrian crossing has been built to replace it.

The A690 will be closed to pedestrians and vehicles overnight from 19:00 to 05:00 BST near the Gilesgate roundabout until Thursday while the footbridge is being taken down, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Some residents set up an online petition calling for the bridge to be saved

Work was scheduled to begin in August, but was delayed so the council could consider its response to a petition asking for it to be saved signed by more than 700 people.

But it decided to continue with the work, saying the option to repair or replace the footbridge was not financially viable.

The new signalised pedestrian crossing at the existing traffic lights on Gilesgate Roundabout has been labelled a safety risk by residents who claimed there had already been some near misses there.

But the council said the new crossing was the best solution.

"Not only does this provide a safe and accessible route across the A690 for everyone, but it offers the best value for money for taxpayers," a spokesperson said.