Residents in Walton have been voicing their concerns about the safety of the Bailey Bridge after cyclists and even motorcyclists have been seen driving on the footpath.

At a meeting held at Netherseal Village Hall residents of the South Derbyshire village were keen to speak to police officers and councillors about the bridge issues and discuss possible solutions.

Councillor Pat Murray said: "I have been on the bridge myself and seen what a problem it can be. Just a few weeks ago, I was on the footbridge cleaning some of the muck off the signs, when a motorbike came speeding past me.

"I couldn't believe my eyes. The footbridge is for pedestrians, not for motorbikes or bikes that don't want to wait. I could have been seriously hurt and something needs to be done before someone does get hurt."

The Bailey Bridge in Walton
The Bailey Bridge in Walton

Locals have said that it's not just bikes and motorbikes causing a nuisance, as they claim many drivers often run red lights to get across the bridge.

One of the campaigners said: "The other day one car pulled out and overtook all of the other cars to get over the bridge. It must have been about eight cars back and the driver came out at such a speed; there was no way they could have stopped in an emergency.

"Every single day there are people committing traffic offences and nothing is being done about it. It feels very much as though the authorities want to wait until someone is killed before anyone will take any action."

Campaigners are now calling for cameras to be put up on both sides of the bridge to stop people from driving dangerously, putting themselves and others at risk.

It seems, however, that the group has been sent back to the drawing board, as representatives from South Derbyshire District Council said that it was not in their power to put cameras up.

Issues with the bridge are ongoing as local people have been left at their wit's end as lorries have repeatedly caused damage to their driveways and houses after trying to cross the bridge, but then having to turn around.

The bridge has a three-tonne weight limit, meaning that most of the large vehicles which attempt to use the bridge will need to turn around, but there is currently nowhere for them to do this without causing accidental damage to residents' property.

The news that the Drakelow bypass will not be built unless another 2,000-home development is completed has been another blow to residents, who were hoping it might divert some drivers away from the Bailey Bridge.

It is illegal for a cyclist or motorcyclist to ride on a pedestrian footpath. Derbyshire Constabulary has urged anyone who sees or has dashcam footage of the footbridge being misused to get in touch by calling the non-emergency police number 101.

The controversy of the Bailey Bridge

The Bailey Bridge itself is no stranger to controversy; it was intended to be, and will one day be, for pedestrians only.

Plans to build a bypass in Walton-on-Trent continue to be delayed, a process whch would see the Bailey Bridge closed to cars and traffic and a new bridge built.

These plans were initially proposed more than five years ago as part of a deal to build 2,200 new homes in Drakelow, by Drakelow Developments Ltd which agreed to fund the bypass.

Construction of this bypass would bring about the end of decades of frustration for villagers and motorists who used the Bailey bridge to travel between Burton and Swadlincote.

An original bridge was built in 1834, which lasted more than 100 years before needing to be replaced by a temporary version - the Bailey bridge. Army Royal Engineers erected this on top of the old bridge in 1947, removing part of it to allow for a support to be built on the Staffordshire bank of the river.

Flood damage had meant the engineers were called in to install the Bailey Bridge after the severe winter of 1947. The bridge was once again replaced in 1974 with a modern version, but still a temporary Bailey bridge structure.

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