'Unsafe' bridge in Bath opens temporarily to pedestrians

Bath and North East Somerset Council wants the listed structure reopened by 2013

A 19th Century footbridge in Bath closed due to safety concerns has been reopened temporarily to pedestrians.

Victoria Bridge, which links Upper Bristol Road to the Western Riverside, was closed in 2010 after engineers found defects in the structure.

A bridge truss has been constructed as part of emergency works "to limit the risk of collapse", a Bath and North East Somerset Council spokesman said.

The bridge will remain open until work begins on a permanent "fix" in 2013.

Councillor Roger Symonds, cabinet member for transport, said the council was committed "to developing a long-term, permanent solution that will fix Victoria Bridge".

"We anticipate that work will start next year once the project is fully developed," he said.

Bath and North East Somerset Council has been liaising with English Heritage on a permanent restoration of the structure.

A public cabinet meeting to approve the next phase of the project will be held in June.