A ‘CAGE’ covering Queensway bridge won’t be built, say council bosses, despite a family’s call for safety measures after the death of a teenager.

Chris Nota, 19, died after falling from the bridge in July last year, sparking a petition for the council to install a cage over the bridge to prevent any more deaths. It had 1,880 signatures.

The Queensway area is due to undergo a £500million regeneration scheme that will see the underpass filled in and brought to street level but it could be years before that is complete.

Ron Woodley, Independent deputy leader of Southend Council, said instead of installing a cage, the authority is working to remove the bridge as fast as possible, as part of the Better Queensway town centre transformation.

Mr Woodley, also councillor for transport, said: “The first stage is closing the underpass and removing that bridge.

“It will be quite soon and over the next few years.

“While I respect the views and have deep sympathy for the Nota family, this is one of the reasons we are doing the project to make people feel safer.

“There is also lots of mental health and counselling support available from the council for anyone who feels they need it.

“I am pushing to get the bridge removed as soon as possible.”

But Chris’s mum, Julia Hopper, believes there will be another fatality before long.

She said: “It is putting lives at risk and people are precious.

“There are mental health offices just yards from that bridge. People leave those offices and jump.

“I don’t think it would cost that much to make it safe so that some other mother doesn’t have to lose her child.”

She added: “The council is too busy with vanity projects like buying shopping centres to care about people’s lives.

“It is just a matter of time before another person dies there.”

Public safety campaigner Colin Nickless said: “I think it should be made as safe as possible. They are talking about filling it in but if they don’t soon then they should make it safe.

“Nobody has done anything about it. They seem to stick their heads in the sand but this an important decision.

“They can find the money to buy a shopping centre but not the money to make the bridge safe.”

A council spokesperson, said: “The council are having discussions with The Samaritans regarding this sensitive issue.

“We continue to work with them discussing a number of different options and will make any further announcements in due course.

“Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Chris Nota at this challenging time.”

l See page 21 for more on the plans