A public inquiry into the future of Borough Road footbridge began today with residents and campaigners coming head to head with North Tyneside Council and their legal representatives.
The footbridge connects Tennyson Terrace and Waldo Street in North Shields and has done for 80 years. However, council bosses claim the bridge is only sporadically used and would cost too much to keep in working order.
A protest against the council's years-long plan to demolish the bridge kicked off proceedings at around 9.30 am outside the North Tyneside Register Office, in North Shields. The building was scheduled as the venue for the inquiry.
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Government inspector Mrs Sue Arnott had been appointed to head the inquiry.
Andrew Saunders, a technical director at WSP Consultants, acting on behalf of North Tyneside Council was questioned by the public and the council's legal representative, Mr Piers Riley-Smith, on his professional opinion on the potential demolition of the bridge.
Mr Saunders claimed the bridge has "low" usage, referring to pedestrian crossing assessments conducted by the council from 2015 to 2022. In opposition to protestors and objectors, Mr Saunders also felt that an alternative route, using a parallel crossing on Borough Road, provided a suitable connection and it was a more popular route.
According to pedestrian assessments of the bridge, conducted on November 30 2022, 113 people used the bridge. This is in line with other assessments conducted. Mr Saunders also claimed the route would only add around five minutes to a walk between the residential estates.
Henry Stamp, a retired planner, however, questioned the pedestrian surveys particularly whether November would accurately reflect general usage given weather conditions during the month. Residents present also feared the gradients of surrounding streets may be difficult to manage for pensioners, the disabled, and people living with invisible disabilities.
Residents also claimed the figures may also be low as many people already believe the bridge has already been demolished and is not well signposted.
North Tyneside Council's director of regeneration and economic development John Sparkes will face questioning from Mr Riley-Smith and the public in tomorrow's session, scheduled for 9.30am at The Exchange in North Shields.
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