A bridge that links two Dundee districts has been closed amid safety concerns after a wall began to “bulge away”.
Engineers were out at Finlathen Park to assess the risk to the public and fencing was suddenly erected around the viaduct to allow this.
One wall on the bridge is no longer straight and has become ragged.
Dundee City Council claim the bridge will be closed for a few days to make way for the assessment.
The bridge acts as a thoroughfare between Fintry and Linlathen, with dozens of dog walkers, runners and cyclists using the bridge and the park in general.
But it has also has a more notorious reputation as a meeting place for gangs of youths from both areas to meet. This sometimes erupts into mass brawls, according to some locals.
It has also been the site of tragedy, when a teen died after being struck with a rock during a confrontation between rival gangs in 1998.
But despite this, one local dog walker said that safety does not appear to be a priority for some people on the bridge.
He said: “I have seen a man walking his child along that wall. He was holding his hand, but it still didn’t look safe.
“I’ve also seen teens hanging off the side and dropping into the river, presumably as some sort of dare.
“A lot of people use it everyday to get to Morrison’s. I do that myself. This will add a fair bit to the walk.”
Linlathen resident Jane Barr, who uses the walkway to get to her job in Fintry, said the closure is “frustrating” as it adds at least 30 minutes on to her commute.
She said: “It will be a big inconvenience for a lot of people. I don’t finish work in Fintry until 10pm so it’s a big inconvenience for me.”
Another nearby resident saw the fencing going up on Tuesday afternoon.
He said: “I was out at the other side of the bridge as I was walking my dog. When I came back I was told that the bridge was closed
“The wall has been gradually bulging away for a while now.
“It’s been shut before, a few years ago, for about three months.”
The man claims an engineer on site site told him the bridge would be closed “for months” as repairs take place, but Dundee City Council said it will only be closed for a few days as the risk is assessed.
A council spokesman said: “The pedestrian bridge in Finlathen Park has been closed as a precautionary measure to allow officers to assess the integrity of the structure in isolated areas.
“It will be cordoned off over the next few days and diversions put in place for members of the public.”
The bridge was built by Dundee Water Company in around 1844 as part of a pipeline to bring water from Monikie Burn to Stobsmuir Reservoir, next to Stobswell Ponds.
