SLIP BRIDGE RELOCATION "DESTRUCTIVE"

Article by Nino Williams
13 July 2005

The relocation of the Slip Bridge has been labelled destructive and badly planned by critics. Environmentalists insist that trees which were supposed to have been safeguarded were cut down to make way for the bridge.

And a chartered surveyor claims that its new foundations have been poorly thought out.

The bridge was finally lowered into place over the weekend when it completed its journey from its original home across Oystermouth Road to the foreshore.

The decision to move the bridge was taken after it was found to need major investment which could have left the council facing a bill of up to £1 million over the next 15 years.

A public consultation exercise was carried out to help determine its fate, but despite some support for the scheme, opposition to it continues from some who claim the project is a waste of taxpayers' money. Now Swansea Friends of the Earth claim a number of trees have been cut down on the Mumbles Road side to accommodate the bridge - contrary to the original plans.

The group's chairman Roy Jones said today: "The planning papers state specifically that the siting of the Slip Bridge would seek to retain the trees on the Mumbles Road, but in fact the trees on the Mumbles Road side have been cut down."We need to protect our dwindling tree cover and botanical heritage from arbitrary decisions made without public consultation."

Chartered surveyor Gary Perkins claims that the project has been over-engineered, resulting in an overspend because of excessive use of materials.

Mr Perkins said: "The council seems to have lost sight of the fact that this is a bridge."Instead of two supported ends they have nine intermediate points."They only needed two foundations across the width of it at either end and not the full length of the bridge. The unprotected steel in the soil is likely to corrode very quickly."

They have used a lot of manpower and materials at the taxpayers' expense that was unnecessary".

Callers to the Evening Post have also voiced concerns that youths may chose to climb on it, putting themselves at risk, or that it may become the target for graffiti.

Swansea Council has defended the move, and has revealed that it will be coated with a special layer of paint that remains in a gel form to deter people from climbing on it.

They also revealed that new trees have been planted to replace any that were cut down.

A spokesman said: "The trees were removed following consultation with the council's tree officer and replacement trees have been planted. The planning consent stated trees to be retained where practical.

"The nine beams were an integral part of the structure and gave it rigidity whilst it was being lifted into pace. The unprotected steel is now non-structural and is to be encased in concrete as part of the finished job."