Bridge repair - further delays

The bridge, a lifeline for many people which links the east and west banks from the Arun View pub to Littlehampton Marina, broke down at the end of April.

West Sussex County Council is responsible for the bridge and at the time a council spokesman said it could be closed for up to two months '” that figure has now risen to four months, meaning residents are likely to face a whole summer without it.

The free taxi service provided by the council that has been shuttling people between Wharf Road and Ferry Road every half an hour between 5.30am and 11pm will continue to operate but some west bank residents feel that even this does not make up for the loss of the bridge.

Rope Walk resident John Cockrell, 60, said his 23-year-old son Morgan had been forced to give up his job at The George Inn in Littlehampton, partly because of the long walk home he faced through the marina at the end of his shift.

"The free bus ends at 11pm so after the pubs close you either have to walk home or pay out for a taxi," said Mr Cockrell.

"It's the same for anyone who wants to go out for an evening in town who lives on this side of the river. I heard that it won't be up and running again until October."

Mr Cockrell, who is involved with the Riverside Residents' Association, said that although the delays don't affect him too badly as he has a car, a lot of elderly people were being left virtually stranded without the use of the bridge.

"There are a lot of elderly people without cars there and it's difficult for them. I know some of them have friends and family who come round and help but not all of them have that support."

The bridge was damaged while retracting to let a boat pass on April 28. The foreman operating it at the time said that as it moved back it suddenly started to freewheel and crashed back into its base on the west bank, damaging its footings.

The bridge's gearbox is thought to be the main source of the problem

A county council spokesman said: "The reasons for the mechanical breakdown have been looked at by our specialist contractors, and meetings are being held this week to plan what repair work is needed.

"At the same time we are also investigating installing a monitoring system which could give earlier warning of possible problems.

"We would hope to have repairs completed by end of August or beginning of September. Once again, we would apologise to local residents, appreciate that they would like to see the bridge back in operation as soon as possible, and assure them that this is receiving a priority.

"In the meantime, we can also assure them that the seven day a week free shuttle service will continue to operate until the repairs have been completed."