Residents in Jesmond say repeated delays and unclear guidance around the Tankerville Terrace footbridge have left them confused, frustrated, and worried about safety, as Newcastle City Council has confirmed permanent repair work will only begin today – November 24th.

The bridge, which links Norham Place and Tankerville Terrace over the Metro line, had initially been scheduled to reopen on October 15th. As JesmondLocal exclusively reported, that date was pushed to November 5th, before the latest delay was announced due to contractor and material shortages.

Although a temporary scaffold staircase has been installed to keep the route partially open, residents say the lack of clear communication has made the situation difficult to navigate. At times, one end of the bridge has been fenced off while the other remains open, leaving pedestrians unsure whether it is safe to cross and pushing through the fencing to get out.

Resident Juanita Trazie, 20, said: “The temporary setup feels really unclear. I was walking home in the rain, and the scaffolding didn’t feel very stable,” She added: “It was scary, I thought I would slip and hurt myself,” she said.

North Jesmond Liberal Democrat councillor James Coles described the scene to JesmondLocal as chaotic. 

“It’s open at one end and fenced off at the other. There are no workers here, and it’s supposed to be open,” he said. “The scaffold stairs don’t exactly look safe, and it’s not clear from the signage that they can be used… it was supposed to be open again fully today, and that isn’t the case.”

Coles criticised the council’s handling of the situation, describing a “near total lack” of communication from the authority. He said both residents and councillors had to repeatedly chase officers for updates. He added that unclear or contradictory signage had contributed to ongoing confusion, calling delays caused by external contractors “disappointing.”

Coles said it would have been helpful if the council had “planned correctly, carried out the work as planned, and contacted ward councillors so we could let residents know and feedback any issues more effectively to officers”. For instance, he said the signage that the bridge was closed was left up after the temporary staircase was installed meaning many residents assumed they couldn’t use the bridge.

Coles said the issues had caused reputational damage to the council. “One of the recurring comments I get on the doorstep is, ‘What is the council actually doing with my council tax?’ and if they’re incapable of fixing a small footbridge within a set timeframe – especially after they’ve delayed the work twice already – I think it’s very reasonable to be disappointed.”

Newcastle City Council structures team manager Kevin Anderson, told JesmondLocal permanent repair work is now expected to begin on November 24th. Anderson said this date reflects staff availability and lead-in time for materials, and acknowledged that the delay has taken longer than expected. Anderson added they “appreciate that the delay in starting the replacement works is taking longer than expected, and understand your frustration.”

Council spokesperson Luke McMeeking said the scaffolded stairway was the only viable temporary solution until permanent works begin. He added that outdated closure signs had been removed to avoid confusion, and clarified that the 21 day statutory closure listed online is a default emergency measure rather than an accurate reflection of the planned works.

The bridge has served the community for decades. Resident Sue Syler recalled when it was known locally as “the wooden bridge.” Built from green timber at the time, it was later replaced with a metal structure.

Syler referred to the ongoing closure as “a shame”. She said: “it’s a long way round over the stone bridge for those walking to Osborne Road.”