10:07am Thursday 1st May 2008
By Lisa Campbell
Safety warnings about a hazardous Silsden footbridge are being ignored by the town's youths, it is feared.
The footbridge, which leads over Silsden beck to the Rocks and Ramps Park, has been closed by Bradford Council's highways structure unit because it is unsafe to use.
Two metal barriers have been erected across the bridge to prevent people walking over it.
But residents are concerned that young people are jumping over the barriers or walking on the walls.
Warning signs which were placed on the bridge have now been torn down.
They read: "Silsden beck footbridge closed until further notice - please find an alternative route."
Silsden town councillor Pat Bottomley said: "The bridge has been deemed unsafe to use because of the floods in March and all the stones were washed away underneath it.
"The council clearly hasn't put big enough gates on so people can get around them."
The mayor of Silsden, Cllr Liz Trainor, said that people crossed the footbridge at their own risk.
She said: "It can be dangerous but people have got to take responsibility for their own actions if they are going to hop over the barriers put there purposely to deter people.
"I hope it gets sorted sooner rather than later, especially for when the nice weather comes in and people will be wanting to use the park more."
Cllr Bottomley, who oversees the youth council, said the footbridge closure should not affect access to the youth council Rocks and Ramps Park project, because people could walk along Bolton Road and use an entrance further up.
A Bradford Council spokesman said: "The footbridge has been closed after an assessment by the highways structures unit found it is not safe to use. We are currently looking at what can be done to make the bridge safe so it can be re-opened.
"The bridge will only be opened when we feel it is safe to do so."
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