18-Month Closure Continues as New Plan Emerges for South Bank Footbridge

Plans to demolish a long-closed railway footbridge have been shelved, with authorities instead opting to reinforce the existing structure in a bid to restore access to a key platform.

Passengers at South Bank railway station have been unable to reach platform two for around 18 months after safety concerns led to the bridge being taken out of use. The structure provided the only route to eastbound services heading towards Redcar and Saltburn.

Initial proposals centred on demolishing the bridge and installing a temporary replacement ahead of a wider station redevelopment. However, the Tees Valley Combined Authority has now confirmed it will fund an alternative approach, strengthening the existing bridge to bring it back into operation.

Network Rail is working alongside local stakeholders to progress the scheme, though no revised timeline has been given for when the platform will reopen. A previous target of August 2025 for a solution was missed.

The closure has had a lasting impact on services. Trains heading east towards the coast no longer stop at South Bank, instead passing through the station, while westbound services towards Middlesbrough, Darlington and Bishop Auckland have continued to operate as normal.

When operational, the footbridge also provided a link to the northern side of the station, including access towards Teesworks, underlining its importance beyond rail connectivity alone.

Network Rail has confirmed that ownership of the bridge is in the process of being transferred from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, a move it says will help unlock progress on the project.

A spokesperson said:

"This will help move the project forward as we work with the local authority to finalise funding for the work needed to strengthen the structure. Once the necessary agreements are in place, we will move forward with appointing a contractor."

Image: Network Rail