No plan after 'wobbly' footbridge closure, MP says

There is "no indication of a clear plan" to replace a "wobbly" footbridge that closed suddenly for safety reasons, an MP has said.

Oxfordshire County Council shut the Cottesmore footbridge in south Oxford on Friday after it identified safety concerns with the structure.

It said a diversion route for pedestrians and cyclists had been put in place whilst it considers the options to "determine the best plan of action for the footbridge for the long term".

But Oxford East MP Dame Anneliese Dodds said the replacement route was an "enormous detour" and criticised the council for giving residents "so little notice" of the closure.

Rebekah Fletcher, the council's transport management chief, said the authority "appreciate how popular this footbridge is, and how important it is" to local communities.

"However, our top priority is always the safety of the public, and we will not compromise on that," she said

Hundreds of residents used the bridge, which crosses the A4142 Eastern Bypass, to get to schools, work and Oxford United's Kassam Stadium, Dame Anneliese said.

The Labour representative said she had raised concerns over the bridge's safety to the local authority in September 2025, only to be told it was not one of the council's "priority projects".

Dame Anneliese explained the bridge had "always had a wobble" but said the closure had come suddenly.

"[There is] no indication of a clear plan to replace this bridge - which is so important for local residents," she said.

"For those who can no longer take this bridge to get to their destination, the replacement route is extremely long."

The council's transport boss, Fletcher, said: "The decision to close the bridge has not been taken lightly, but it was the only option in the circumstances."