Taking down 'Banksy bridge' to cost taxpayer more than £1 million

The banksy artwork before it was taken down from Scott Street Bridge Picture; Jonathan GawthorpeThe banksy artwork before it was taken down from Scott Street Bridge Picture; Jonathan Gawthorpe
The banksy artwork before it was taken down from Scott Street Bridge Picture; Jonathan Gawthorpe
THE cost to the local authority of dismantling a bridge in Hull, which had graffiti by the artist Banksy painted on it, has been estimated at £1.1m.

Banksy’s Draw The Raised Bridge artwork, which appeared in 2017, was cut off one of the decks of the bridge last month and put into secure storage.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A decision record now published on Hull Council’s website says dismantling the Scott Street Bridge was the “only viable and safest option”.

Tenders are going out to contractors in the coming weeks to carry out the job, which is estimated to cost some £1.1 million.

The artwork drew crowds to Scott Street Bridge last year Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeThe artwork drew crowds to Scott Street Bridge last year Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
The artwork drew crowds to Scott Street Bridge last year Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

A structural survey concluded the Grade II listed bridge was a hazard to navigation.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Engineers found the transverse girders to be “on the point of failure” and warned that even a bridge strike of "minor proportions" could lead to “complete failure” of the bridge leaf.

Meanwhile, the value of the elusive artist’s pieces continues to soar.

A Banksy artwork, called Devolved Parliament, depicting chimpanzees sat in Parliament, made a hammer price of £8.5m at Sotheby’s in London last month – nearly five times its estimate.