Opening of bridge marred by row

The New Blacks Footbridge, at Marske, for cyclists, pedestrians and schoolchildren will be opened tomorrow after years of complaints that an existing road bridge was highly dangerous.

But a councillor and a community leader are in dispute over whose idea it was to build the bridge, near the expanding Mickledales estate, in the first place.

There have also been complaints that a number of community leaders were snubbed as only the Labour councillor for the area, Garth Houchen, and the mayor were invited by Labour-run Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to the opening of the bridge.

Mike Findley, secretary of the Marske Town Centre Partnership and former unsuccessful East Cleveland Independent candidate, said that Councillor Houchen merely wanted traffic to be reduced on the road bridge.

Mr Findley said the idea to build a separate bridge came from other sources, including the town centre partnership.

He said: "Everyone's very pleased that this separate bridge has been built, but a lot of people are bemused that Councillor Houchen now says it was his idea when, at a public meeting, he proposed single-lane traffic for the existing bridge.

"The other thing is, why weren't our two other councillors, the parish council, the Marske Town Centre Partnership and the Residents Association invited to the official opening?"

Coun Houchen, who is standing for re-election along with the rest of the council next May, hit back at the allegations arguing he had actively campaigned for the separate bridge for at least eight years.

He said: "I accept I wanted single-lane traffic on the old bridge, but only because there wasn't money available for a separate bridge at the time."

A spokesman for the council said every councillor had been informed of the opening ceremony and everyone in the community was welcome to attend.

The money for the bridge came from the Government's National Cycle Route Fund. It will be opened tomorrow at 2.30pm.