Article: Fears Lota, South Brisbane rail footbridges will collapse

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Fears Lota, South Brisbane rail footbridges will collapse

Fears Lota, South Brisbane rail footbridges will collapse
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Anthony Marx

December 17, 2009 12:00am

A RECENTLY sacked Queensland Rail contractor has alleged that two footbridges over Brisbane train tracks are so dilapidated they may soon collapse.

Stephen Smith, who filed a $1.14 million damages claim yesterday against QR, maintains the aged overpasses at Lota and South Brisbane have such severe wood rot and other structural problems that further maintenance is futile.

Mr Smith has repaired numerous pedestrian crossings since 2003 and said at least nine other footbridges across the city had been subject to "Band-Aid" fixes, including one at Dakabin.

But he believes there is an urgent need to rebuild the Lota and South Brisbane structures immediately. "No more maintenance can be done. It can't be left like this. There must be new ones built," Mr Smith said as he pointed out severe shortfalls in the Grove St passageway at South Brisbane.

Rotting and split wood is visible across many of the tower posts, floor joists, bearers and braces on the footbridge, which sags and sways as pedestrians cross.

Trusses are significantly bowed, with iron braces screwed in to rotted areas. Metal plates have been used to reinforce areas where large rusted bolts have split the timber.

Mr Smith's concerns are backed up by an internal QR inspection report from September.

"Advised by T. Andrews ... on 8/08/2007 to only do safety work on this structure as he will see if it can be programmed for replacement with steel. Signs are being made to close the footbridge due to structural damage. Footbridge needs to be removed within next 6 months," the report says.

Mr Smith, who has 35 years of experience as a carpenter and joiner, had his services terminated last month after first being told there was no more money in the QR budget.

He was later informed that his dismissal stemmed from a contractual dispute and he was not considered a "preferred supplier".

Mr Smith was forced to sack 22 staff and his Brisbane Supreme Court lawsuit seeks compensation for 150 jobs he had expected to undertake.

His lawyer, Paul Lynch, would not comment yesterday.

A QR spokeswoman yesterday said both bridges had been inspected within the past three weeks and each was "found to be safe but in need of future repairs". She declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The State Government announced plans last week to privatise QR's coal hauling operations and track network next year while still retaining public control of the city's commuter rail network.

[#Metro]

That's not the only area that is crumbling.
The shelter at Dutton Pk appears to have wood rot as well. There must be a few.


IMHO there should be a phase out of these wooden footbridges and a move to replace them with busway style lift wells, spiral staircases and enclosed overpasses. It won't happen overnight but its important to make a start.

[ozbob]

As stations are upgraded we are seeing the progressive replacement of footbridges.  In some case subways may be a better option (with proper DDA ramps and lights/cameras) and can be made wheel chair accessible and can make access available independent of lifts.

The new foot bridge at Oxley is one of grandest railway station footbridges ever built!   

Will still be there in a few hundred years I reckon ...