COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE (2)

Monday, May 28, 2012

QUESTION NO. 8

QUESTION: Councillor J. Hannon

"To ask the Manager for a comprehensive report on safety concerns at O'Toole Bridge, Tallaght By Pass and indicating what specific actions are being taken to take the bridge into the ownership of the Council, thus ensuring its longterm safety and security?"

REPLY:

Since its completion, this footbridge has been subject to repeated and ongoing vandalism. Some antisocial elements seem determined to damage and remove the steel mesh protection that encloses the pedestrian walkway, which creates a serious potential hazard for pedestrians on the footbridge and vehicular traffic on the N81.

It is an unfortunate deficiency in the bridge design that the studs attaching this mesh to the steel frame of the pedestrian walkway are not more robust, however, it should be noted that nothing is “vandal proof”.

As we are unable to take this bridge into charge without all snags being completed satisfactorily, we were in regular correspondence with the contractors for the scheme, prior to them going into Receivership, regarding the completion of the various snag works to this bridge (including the mesh issue).

As it stands, we have tendered for remedial works to attach the mesh panels to the bridge in a more robust manner, and are awaiting the release of bond monies to carry out these works.

Until funds are made available for these works, SDCC are responding to reports of damaged mesh on this bridge as soon as they are received, and are using tie wire and jubilee clips as a temporary fix.