Oh dear, is this an accident waiting to happen? Or should youngsters use their own senses to realise the danger involved in what they are doing?
Davina Ware has been taking some pictures of the new Destructor Bridge that has now opened to restricted traffic over the River Avon alongside Bath’s Riverside development.
She writes:
“Anti-climb paint not stopping this now the crash barriers have been removed following the official opening.“
What more can be done? Isn’t the danger obv ious enough? What do others think?
Ralph Oswick writes:
Re Destructor Bridge: naughty youths have been scaling nearby Victoria Bridge since it was built in the 19th Century.
My lounge overlooks the structure and my neighbours and I have given up glaring/shouting/waving at them. I’ve never heard of anyone falling off, though I did fear for the lad who took his scooter up with him and posed with it on the top of the stone pylon! Last year some kids pulled up all the buddleia while they were up there and chucked it in the river, so some good came of it!
I’ve even seen dads proudly encouraging their toddlers up to about the 10ft level! Apparently in the 1970’s it was a right of passage to go up and over on the suspension cables.
People are always jumping off it in the summer, including 3am skinny dipping. I usually shout down from my balcony and ask them to fish out one of the many shopping trolleys submerged at that point.
During the reconstruction a very fit looking chap crossed the river hand over hand under Victoria Bridge!
So not surprising that the new Destructor Bridge is a temptation, it being especially inviting in its construction.
Who designs these things (computers I suspect)? Believe it or not, BMX riders have made several attempt to cross via the flying arches. Short of installing Colditz-style barbed wire ‘fans’ there’s nothing going to stop them. So maybe just put a sign up and leave them to it?
Put a camera on it? I saw the bridge and could see how tempting it would be to climb along. There must be the equivalent of a row of spikes, like barbed wire, on the steepest bit near the bottom. Commissioners and designers need to take responsibility for pretty obvious safety issues in their designs.
Similar issue on Victoria bridge. We see youths on top of the towers at least once a month.