Thackley wall collapse 'puts children in danger’ (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Thackley wall collapse 'puts children in danger’

9:30am Saturday 5th May 2012 in News By Tanya O'Rourke

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland is pictured by the collapsed wall with 10 year-old Millie Wilkin

Children are being put at risk by Bradford Council’s delay in repairing a collapsed wall, it has been claimed.

The authority has admitted it “cannot say” when it will fix the wall which has collapsed down a cutting leaving a drop of about 30 feet on to a disused railway line at the junction of Town Lane and Leeds Road, Thackley.

Ward Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, who is also Liberal Democrat group leader, said she reported the matter three months ago but it remains unrepaired and surrounded by protective barriers.

A response from a Council officer to Coun Sunderland said after investigations it had been found a “substantial” length of the wall required repair and he was unable to tell her when the work could be done.

It said its strengthening works up until 2013/14 are already in excess of its anticipated budget calculation.

Coun Sunderland said the lengthy wait for repairs was unacceptable as the site of the damage was on a commonly-used route by pupils of Immanuel College.

“It’s really dangerous, both for children and for drivers,” she said.

“The biggest danger is to children and there are literally hundreds walk past it. Barriers have already been pushed down it once. There’s not adequate protection.

“The whole wall, in my view, could collapse. It is outrageous that we have been asked to wait that long.

“Children’s safety has to be given a much higher priority than this.”

Nanje Ngoe, the Council’s principal engineer highway structures unit, said: “Temporary safety barriers were installed as soon as the damage to the wall was reported to us.

“Our engineers have carried out an assessment of the damaged wall and recommended a substantial length of the wall should be strengthened.

“The strengthening of the wall will now be included in our capital wall strengthening programme.

“Because of the location of the wall on the A657 Leeds Road we will look to prioritise the work but at this stage we cannot say when work will be carried out.”