By KATH GANNAWAY
WARBURTON residents Kathy Kearns and David Hoffman are calling for the immediate closure of the Redwood Bridge, saying the surface is slippery and unsafe.
Both have slipped on the bridge, one of three pedestrian bridges over the Yarra River at Warburton.
Ms Kearns in particular suffered extensive injuries to her legs and arm when she slipped, grabbing the hand-rail as she fell on 11 August.
They told the Mail last week that they knew of a number of other people who had slipped and said action needed to be taken before anyone else was injured.
Closure is one option being considered according to Gordon Buller, chairman of the Upper Yarra River Reserve Committee of Management which is jointly responsible for the bridge with the Department of Environment and Primary Industry (DEPI).
Mr Buller said they had received just one letter alerting them to safety concerns, but said they had also been contacted by Yarra Ranges Council who had received a number of complaints, although they are not the responsible body.
Mrs Kearns said she was angry that nothing had been done after a letter she wrote to Yarra Ranges Council immediately after her fall was forwarded on to DEPI.
Still having treatment for a detached hamstring and injuries to her arm, she said she did not want anyone else to go through the pain, trauma and the expense that she was dealing with.
Mr Hoffman, organiser of the annual Warburton Up and Running fun run which crosses the bridge, said he was winded when he fell and wants the bridge made safe for the run.
He said he sent a letter to the UYRRCM, the council and DEPI suggesting surface treatments that could be used on the bridge to make it safe but was told by a DEPI there was no money available.
“I’m responsible for signing off on risk management for the run, which needs to be done quite soon, and I’m not prepared to do it if the bridge is not safe,” he said.
Mr Buller said a meeting with DEPI and Yarra Ranges Council engineers on Wednesday identified a number of issues, in addition to the slippery deck and ramps,which he said were beyond the expertise of the UYRRCM volunteers, or Yarra Ranges Council to fix.
He said the UYRRCM was waiting on an engineers’ report before making a decision to close the bridge but added that if the weather deteriorated they would look at closing it earlier.
Mr Buller said he had requested the report be prepared urgently.
