'Bouncing' bridge 'should have been closed earlier'

Structural damage to a "wobbly" footbridge was known about for years before it was closed by a council, a Freedom of Information request (FOI) has revealed.

The FOI revealed that in 2023, Cottesmore bridge which runs between Littlemore and Rose Hill in south Oxford, was found to "bounce" when crossed.

The bridge was closed by Oxfordshire County Council last month, but ward councillor David Henwood has called for an investigation, saying the public had been put at risk.

The council said: "Once it was determined the structure was no longer safe, following a recent risk review, it was closed."

Henwood, who is part of the Oxford Alliance independent group, said the bridge should have been closed when the issues were first known about.

"Engineers are stating it's urgent work...if vibrations continue the bridge could collapse.

"Why has it taken so long to bring this to local councillors attention and more importantly to the public?

"We have school children using that bridge every single morning and evening.

"That is something that has to be examined. I'd like to see a public investigation as to why the bridge wasn't condemned earlier."

Oxford East MP Dame Anneliese Dodds previously 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.

According to the FOI requested by Henwood's team to the County Council, concerns about the bridge "bouncing" was reported in 2023 during inspections triggered by public concerns.

The bridge was built in the early 1960s.

Terry Young has lived nearby since the 1970's and said it had "always bounced".

"My children, when they went to school, used to jump up and down to feel it bounce…[the closure's] been a long time coming."

The council's reply to the FOI request stated: "There are numerous identified problems with the bridge, with those of most concern being the condition of the post-tension half-joints, which support the central span over the dual carriageway.

"Within the reviews carried out the bouncing was considered likely to be due to deterioration of the post-tensioning over time due to corrosion of the cables but not considered likely to result in immediate failure of the structure."

This, combined with other previous investigations and more recent visual inspections concluded that the bridge should be closed last month.

A council statement said: "The decision to close this popular footbridge was not taken lightly but the safety of the public will always be our top priority.

"We need to consider all options available to reinstate this crucial link in the city's active travel network, for the benefit of local communities and people travelling further afield.

"However, it is not possible to give any timescales at this stage or details on funding."