Oh no, not another bridge headache for the council! This time it's the one at at Fuller Street in Cleethorpes

The footbridge enables pedestrians to cross from Fuller Street to the Humber North Wall

WHAT can be done to make the Fuller Street footbridge  in Cleethorpes less scary - especially after dark?

And is money available to install lighting and CCTV?

These are questions Cllr Ron Shepherd, North East Lincolnshire Council's portfolio holder for safer communities, will ponder at a meeting next week.

Back in April, more than 200 residents - thought to include local MP Melanie Onn - signed a petition calling for improvements to the bridge which, in its current form, is believed to have been constructed in 1975.

A recommendation to Cllr Shepherd advises: "Undertaking mitigating action will ensure Fuller Street bridge remains safe to those who use it and provide re-assurance to the petitioners and residents of  Sidney Sussex ward." 

But an accompanying report outlines the challenges: " There is currently no lighting nor CCTV on the bridge. 

"There are three public-facing cameras located at nearby Suggitts Lane bridge which can zoom across to Fuller Street bridge, but  the distance needed on the zoom would distort the view so much so that it would be of limited evidential value. 

"To provide an accurate cost and schedule of works, a full site visit would be required.  

"The estimated cost would be in the region of £20,000 for two public-facing CCTV cameras located either side of the bridge. 

"These  cameras would also need  maintenance which would be a further £1,500 per camera per annum."

The report goes on to reveal the number of 'incidents' recorded in Fuller Street between August 1, 2023 and August 31 this year:

• Arson and Criminal Damage = 8 

• Burglary = 1 

• Drug Offences = 5 

• Miscellaneous crimes against society = 2 

• Public Order = 7 

• Sexual Offences = 5 

• Theft = 1 

• Vehicle Offences = 1 

• Violence Against the Person = 44 

• Total = 74. 

A review  of crimes on the footbridge itself for the same  period records

• Sexual Offences = 2 

• Violence against the person = 1. 

However, the report notes that Fuller Street has recorded fewer crimes than nearby Manchester Street, Neville Street and Harrington Street.

The report further notes the following: "The bridge is used by Humberside police during Grimsby Town Football Club home games for crowd control as a means to direct the attending fans to and from Cleethorpes railway station."

What about the structural condition of the bridge?

A survey by Equans in April last year noted that it is "not showing signs of stress, nor fractures, and is in fair condition though there is  surface rusting and moderate pitting due to its location and age".

Any remedial work - at an estimated cost of £40,000 - would be centred around removing the paintwork, blast-cleaning  all rust and providing a suitable coating to all areas. 

In addition to the cost estimate, a  structural engineer advises that once rail possessions, scaffolding, encapsulation, structural calculations to check if steel repairs are required, and undertaking works at night (that Network Rail would almost certainly mandate) might bring the cost closer to £250,000.

And nor would the costs end here.

Because of power supply complications, installing lighting could cost as much as £1-million!

The situation has put the council's management - particularly the portfolio holder - in an unenviable position.

Unless funds can be secured from external sources, it may be that the petitioners may not get the reassurances they seek.

     

Another view of the bridge

The CCTV cameras at Suggitts Lane