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Thursday 17 Feb 2005

STIRLING JOB ON LOCAL FOOTBRIDGE

Region & Route:

| Southern

People using Stirling Road footbridge will find it looking much improved, thanks to work by Network Rail and Chichester District Council. As a result, Network Rail has cut back overgrown vegetation, removed illegal fly tipping, including shopping trolleys from the side of the railway, repaired fencing around the bridge and painted out unsightly graffiti. The council is now looking into the possibility of improved lighting at the bottom of the bridge.  In the meantime, the Stirling Road footbridge and the surrounding area will be the subject of regular directed patrols by Police Community Support Officers and the new Chichester Community Wardens. Andrew Munden, Network Rail Route Director said:  “We believe this is £4,000 well spent and we hope everyone who uses this bridge agrees. The problems could not have been dealt with by just the railways, or just the council, but by joining forces we have got the job done. Thank you to everyone involved.” Councillor Keith Smith, Community Safety Portfolio Holder said: “This project has been successful because everyone wanted to achieve the same goal – making the area more pleasant and safer to use. We identified what work needed doing, in the most cost effective way, and got all interested parties talking.”  Graffiti has been painted over and now the responsibility falls to local people to help to keep it graffiti-free. If anyone identifies new graffiti on the bridge, call the graffiti hot line on 0845 126 5555. Remember graffiti is criminal damage, report all crime to Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999 or call 999 in an emergency. The clean-up followed the instigation of a long-term maintenance action plan by interested parties (which includes: the British Transport Police, Three Way Residents Association and the Arun Valley Rail Users Association), after concerns about the bridge were raised by Chichester Local Station Action Team (CHISLAT).