'�2m' repair bill for city icon

The bridge celebrated its centenary in 2006

Repairs to an iconic landmark which was closed after safety fears at the end of last year are expected to cost more than �2m.

The transporter bridge in Newport, which celebrated its centenary in 2006, has been shut since December.

Council leaders say they hope the bridge will reopen in time for the 2010 Ryder Cup hosted near the city.

A report has been commissioned to determine the exact cost and work required to bring it back into use.

Councillor David Atwell, the new Newport council cabinet member for transport, highways and engineering, said: "We think this bridge is so important to the city and the sooner it's put back into service, the better it will be.

"Obviously, I would like to be looking at the Ryder Cup - it would be nice for visitors to come to the city centre and look at the transporter bridge but I honestly can't say.

"I will be seeking the assurance of the engineers before I make any recommendation that it will give us another 20 years before anything needs to be done [again]."

TRANSPORTER BRIDGE FACTFILE Construction work started in 1902 and was completed in September 1906 The gondola is pulled by a cable wound round a drum on the east bank of the river The gondola travels at a maximum speed of 10ft per second The 1959 film Tiger Bay, starring Hayley Mills, was partly filmed on the bridge The bridge was closed on safety grounds in 1985 and did not reopen for 10 years Traffic using the bridge declined in 2005 with the opening of a new bridge as part of the southern distributor road Source: Friends of Newport Transporter Bridge

Repair work was originally due to start in March but the cost was found to be far in excess of the �150,000 expected.

Although an exact figure is not yet known, Mr Atwell believes the final bill will be in excess of �2 million.

"We're going to need the help of everybody - we're going to be relying on a lot of grant contributions," said Mr Atwell.

"We will be applying to every possible source we can."

Friends of Newport Transporter Bridge chairman Anne Gatehouse said the bridge had been closed "on-and-off" for almost two years.

"They don't seem to realise the importance of our bridge, it's one of eight remaining in the world," she said.

"We still get visitors from all over the world and we've got 550 members from all over the world who just love our bridge and are asking when it's going to be open again.

"We've had to cancel visits because if people can't ride on the gondola [which carries cars and pedestrians across the river], they're not interested in coming.

"We're losing visitors and it's just not good enough really."

She added the situation had not been helped by delays in deciding who would run Newport council following elections in May.

Around �180,000 was spent on refurbishing the bridge ahead of its centenary in 2006.

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