South Bank railway station footbridge put out of action due to safety risks
A railway footbridge has been closed off after an inspection revealed safety concerns.
The footbridge at South Bank railway station provides access to platform two serving eastbound train services between Middlesbrough and Saltburn.
Redcar and Cleveland Council, which has responsibility for the bridge, said in a Facebook post that it apologised for the inconvenience, “but people’s safety must come first”.
It said it would be working with engineers to determine a long-term plan for the bridge and would keep residents informed, but gave no indication when it may re-open.
Rail operator Northern said minibuses were operating in order to allow passengers to travel between Middlesbrough, South Bank and Redcar Central station.
Meanwhile the westbound platform remained open to train services.
Investment in the station and its future has been a bone of contention among some local councillors.
In March South Bank ward councillor Neil Bendelow said that the bridge, which is also inaccessible to wheelchair users, was in a poor condition and an upgrade was required as a matter of urgency.
The Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) previously allocated a package of funds to provide a new station car park, park and ride facility, a new widened platform and a fully accessible footbridge so disabled passengers could use it.
However the scheme only remains in the development phase and the required work, which would require planning permission, is yet to get underway, with the funding stream for it also currently under review.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has described South Bank station as “cut off, tired and simply not good enough”, especially given its proximity to the nearby Teesworks industrial site.
In 2021 Redcar and Cleveland Council failed with a bid of its own for Government ‘levelling up’ funds which were intended to pay for improvements to the footbridge.
Former South Bank ward councillor Sue Jeffrey told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it was unacceptable that the “only station for the whole of the TS6 area is in effect partially closed for the foreseeable future”.
An update on the station project last month for TVCA cabinet members described the footbridge as a “life expired asset” and said a replacement would incorporate access ramps.
It said it was “likely” the scheme would be delivered and predicted a start date of September next year with the identified funding available to the authority needing to be used by March 2027.
However costs had been updated, which would require ‘value engineering’ and/or ‘descoping’, it said.
In January an announcement by Mr Houchen promised the largest investment to date in various improvements to road, rail and bus travel across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.
However since then the new Labour government has been reviewing promised schemes due to an apparent funding gap with further details expected in the Budget later this month.
A spokesman for TVCA said: “The station project is already a top priority, however, funding from CRSTS2 the relevant tranche of funding is currently under review.
“Once we get the green light from Government, we can deliver the project.”