Scarborough North Bay's miniature railway bridge to be demolished due to 'severe defects'

Demolition of the footbridge over the North Bay miniature railway in Scarborough is being proposed due to “severe defects” and the bridge’s “very poor condition”. The bridge which provided pedestrian access to the North Bay promenade from Burniston Road was closed in 2020 due to safety concerns. The plans for demolition are being proposed by Scarborough Council and are due to be discussed by the authority’s planning committee at its meeting on November 7.

The planning committee originally discussed the demolition in January 2022 but decided to defer its decision in part due to numerous objections from members of the public as well as ward councillors. Since the deferral of the decision, the council has looked into the economic viability of repairing the bridge and has estimated that repair costs would amount to around £79,000 with an additional £10,000 required 10 years later for further repairs.

Constructed in the late 1960s, the structure was given a design life of 100 years but a council report states that the most likely cause of the “accelerated demise” has been a combination “of latent defects such as poor construction and the bridge’s exposure to a harsh salt air environment given its close proximity to the sea”.

Though the estimated cost of demolition is considerably cheaper at £26,500, the council states that the case for demolition is not purely financial, as repairs “wouldn’t necessarily prolong the life of the structure for a sufficient duration such that the public would benefit in the long term”.

The planning committee also deferred its decision in January due to safety concerns about redirecting pedestrians to a level crossing, with fears that this would increase the likelihood of accidents. However, a council report states that plans to improve the safety and accessibility of the level crossing will include increasing the width of the gates, clearer signage, creation of a slip-resistant concrete surface, and the introduction of yellow lining “to the crossing perimeter to aid the visually impaired”.

The plans for demolition have been recommended for approval by the local planning authority.