Causeway Coast & Glens Council confirms Runkerry footbridge to be replaced by end of year
Causeway Coast and Glens Council has confirmed that the long-awaited replacement of Runkerry footbridge will be complete by the end of the year.
Council’s Director of Environmental Services confirmed that the footbridge scheme, which was given the green light by members five years ago, was “ready to be landed” and will be in place by December.
The footbridge, which connects Runkerry Beach to private lands at Runkerry House, was removed in late 2021 due to storm damage, and in 2022 members of Council’s Leisure and Development Committee approved a newly-built bridge, with an estimated cost of £20,000.
During October’s Environmental Services Committee, Alliance Alderman Richard Brown Stewart asked Council’s Director of Environmental Services, Aidan McPeake, for a timeline of the reinstatement of the footbridge.
Alderman Brown Stewart said local residents and visitors have been waiting a “significant time” to see the bridge reinstated.
“I obviously welcome that the reinstatement has been approved, but we need clarity around how long that will take and if we could get some sort of proposed timeline, that would be much appreciated,” he added.
Mr McPeake said he has recently contacted the project team and the bridge is “sitting ready to be landed”.
He added: “There will be a bit of work to do to create the plinths to land the bridge on, so we’re hoping to get that working with the contractor to get that done and the bridge in place before the end of the calendar year.”
Ald Brown Stewart requested that he, and any other members representing the Causeway DEA, be kept updated on ‘any movement’ regarding the bridge.