Fears over crumbling riverbank

8:41am Tuesday 2nd December 2008

HUNDREDS of thousands of pounds are to be spent repairing York’s riverbank, following the potentially lethal collapse of a 40-metre stretch.

Part of the bank between Clifton Bridge and Scarborough Bridge gave way last week, when a concrete beam fell into the Ouse.

Officials at City of York Council now say the bank is at risk of a “sudden failure” which could lead to injury or death for anyone on the bank. The nearby footpath and cycleway is also under threat.

City leaders will tomorrow consider an urgent report into the problem. Repairs are expected to cost £5,000 to £10,000 per metre, meaning a total cost of up to £400,000.

In a report to the council’s ruling executive, the authority’s property surveyor, Valerie Inwood, and structure and drainage project manager Mike Taverner call for instant action.

They wrote: “There are a number of obvious health and safety implications for both river users and the general public. However a major consideration is the potential risk to the structural integrity of the pedestrian/cycle path and the impact this would have on the city wide cycle route network.

“There is further urgency if the riverbank suddenly collapses as the danger implications for any individual in the vicinity would be inconceivable and any collapse could potentially take out the pedestrian/cycle path at the same time.”

The officials say in 2002 the stretch in question was identified as being in need of work within five years, but that work has yet to be done. Officers were seeking funding to do the work in 2009/10.

Ms Inwood and Mr Taverner warn that if no action is taken someone could die at the riverbank, the continuing erosion will lead to increased costs, the footpath and cycle way will be further threatened and the public may have to be banned from the area on safety grounds.

Asked why the works had not been carried out, a council spokeswoman said: “Unfortunately the council has a limited budget and work on the riverbank has not been allocated funding in the last few years. Any additional ground movement is unlikely to happen immediately and the path is being monitored regularly.”

Council leader Andrew Waller said he would seek support from the Environment Agency on the issue.