Council under fire over bridge safety and inspections

Bridges are not being "effectively managed" by a local authority amid a multitude of closures and safety concerns, an internal report has revealed.

Oxfordshire County Council's audit for the last financial year found "weaknesses" in every risk area of its bridge management, including a "long standing backlog in inspections".

The council said the issue of deteriorating infrastructure was a national one, and that its officers had been "working hard to improve" bridge management in recent years

The report has been revealed following the sudden closure of Cottesmore footbridge in Oxford after "safety concerns" with the structure were uncovered.

The council audit for 2025/26 "identified under-delivery and weak quality assurance across inspection, maintenance and repairs".

It found there was an "inconsistent approach to the recording of follow-up activity and remedial actions".

The report said issues had arisen as a result of a "material underspend" of funds allocated to a bridge programme.

In a statement, the authority said: "A number of Oxfordshire structures are at varying stages of inspection, assessment and repair."

It said inspections "should be back on track later this year after slipping a month or two behind the required two-year cycle".

"We now have a suitable asset management system in place, enabling us to improve the accuracy of the data our inspectors have about issues such as vulnerable components," the council added.

It comes as the council closed Cottesmore footbridge closed on Friday, saying its "top priority is always the safety of the public, and we will not compromise on that".

But the closure led to criticism from Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds, who said there was "no indication of a clear plan" to replace the "wobbly" footbridge.

It follows the ongoing weight restrictions on works to Donnington Bridge, which has had the emergency rules in place since August 2024 as it waits for repair work.

A council inspection earlier this year found the road bridge may need lengthy repairs or have to be replaced entirely due to its condition.