A ‘scary’ hole in a footbridge over the motorway has sparked fears a child could fall through the gap.
Supports have been cut away from a footbridge over the M5 near junction 6, with a flimsy plastic mesh being the only protection against a child falling through the gap.
The bridge is on a popular walking route from Trotshill Lane East in Warndon Villages in Worcester. The path runs over the A4440 Trotshill Way, via a pedestrian crossing, and continues onto a footbridge over the motorway where two metal struts have been removed, leaving a small gap.
Two councillors – Cllr Andrew Cross and Cllr Sarah Murray – say it is a safety issue and should be fixed before ‘anything dreadful happens’.
CONCERN: Cllr Sarah Murray has called the hole in the M5 bridge a ‘serious safety failure’ (Image: Submitted)
It is understood the railing was cut during an incident involving West Mercia Police around two years ago, but it is the responsibility of National Highways to maintain the bridge.
One resident of Warndon Villages, who did not wish to be named, said: “The scary thing for me is that I walk along there at 6pm or 7pm on an evening and frequently you see a child there on their own. It would be so easy for one of them to step through or be pushed through if they’re larking about. The hole has obviously been made deliberately.”
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Cllr Sarah Murray, a Liberal Democrat councillor for St Nicholas ward in Warndon Villages, said: “This is a serious safety failure. A damaged barrier on a pedestrian bridge over the M5 is not a minor issue — it’s an accident waiting to happen.
“The hole in the fencing near Trotshill Lane East is large enough to put lives at risk, particularly children, and it is simply unacceptable that it has been left in this condition.
“This bridge falls under the responsibility of National Highways, and I will be contacting them urgently to demand immediate repairs.
“I’m urging residents not to ignore this — avoid the damaged section and report it directly to National Highways. Public pressure matters, and it should not take an incident for action to be taken.
“This must be fixed now, not later. I will continue to push until it is made safe.”
AWARE: Cllr Andrew Cross has raised the issue of the gap in the bridge over the M5 with National Highways (Image: Supplied)
Cllr Andrew Cross, Green county councillor for Warndon Villages, said National Highways are responsible for this bridge and a temporary robust orange plastic pedestrian barrier was fixed to the metal railings but this has been removed and replaced a few times.
He said: “I have reported it to national Highways each time I have noticed (or been made aware) and let county council Highways team know for courtesy.
“It appears that someone is removing the plastic barrier from the railings, which is antisocial and unacceptable.
However, I personally believe that a better repair is needed and urge National Highways to do this before anything dreadful happens.”
A National Highways spokesperson said: “A temporary measure was put in place and a permanent repair will be carried out soon. “We continue to monitor the site to ensure the footbridge remains safe for all users.”
