THERE is an urgent need to make York's River Ouse safer following incidents on one of its bridges which has repeatedly closed due to emergencies, a leading local politician has said.
York Central MP Rachael Maskell said she was frustrated over inertia in improving safety along the waterway which runs through the city centre.
The Labour MP added authorities needed to see the urgency in improving safety before another life is tragically cut short three years after a 16-year-old's body was found in the river.
It comes after Ouse Bridge was closed twice within three days due to emergencies, once on Saturday, October 3 and again on Monday, October 5.
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Teenage girl arrested for 'bladed article' in police incident in York
- Major York bridge closed amid police incident
- York MP presents river safety petition to Parliament after death of Leah, 16
North Yorkshire police officers, firefighters and paramedics arrived at the scene at around 8pm on Saturday and following reports that teenage girl on the wrong side of the bridge's wall.
She later received welfare support after the incident.
The bridge closed again on Monday after emergency services received reports of a 14-year-old girl who had climbed over the barrier above the River Ouse in an unrelated incident.
She was later arrested on suspicion of carrying a bladed article and has since been released on conditional bail.
Ouse Bridge, which links Micklegate with Low Ousegate, has closed due to multiple incidents involving safety and welfare concerns and disorderly behaviour over the past year.
Ms Maskell's call to improve safety on the River Ouse more broadly also comes around three years after the death of 16-year-old Leah Bedford in September 2023.
York Central MP Rachael Maskell has called for urgent safety improvements on the River Ouse (Image: Danny Lawson/ PA Wire)
The Acomb teenager's body was recovered from the river near Terry Avenue and a coroner was later unable to establish the cause of her death.
The York Central MP worked with the 16-year-old's family on a petition presented to Parliament which called for more CCTV cameras to be installed along the riverside.
Ms Maskell said agencies working together in the York River Safety Group, particularly rescue boat volunteers, had given so many hours to respond to incidents and offer safeguarding.
She added people should stay safe when around the river and look out for one another to avoid another life being tragically cut short.
The MP told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "Every tragic loss of life on the River Ouse is always a painful reminder of the suffering this causes to family and friends of the deceased."
"There is a constant need to improve and promote river safety in our city."
"My frustration is that no matter how many times I have raised the issues of poor lighting, lack of CCTV and urgent need to improve infrastructure, agencies are slow to invest so we continue in a cycle of inertia, when action could save lives."
"We need agencies to see the urgency in improving safety, before another life is lost."
"A simple example is that the new LED lighting makes it harder to see people by the river, changing the lighting could rapidly improve surveillance, it's simple but still not addressed."
City of York Council declined to comment due to ongoing criminal proceedings in connection with Monday evening's incident.
Speaking following the incident, a North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said their enquiries into it were ongoing while they and partners provide her with support.
The spokesperson said: "Emergency services were alerted to Ouse Bridge in York at around 9.15pm on Monday following 'concern for safety' reports about a 14-year-old girl who had climbed over the barrier above the river."
"The road was closed to traffic and pedestrians while the police, fire service, ambulance, and the York Rescue Boat teams responded as a precaution."
"The girl agreed to climb back over the barrier at 10.02pm and the road reopened."
"She was checked over by ambulance staff and was unharmed."
"She was later arrested on suspicion of possession of a bladed article in a public place, and intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance."
The Samaritans say that whatever you're going through, you can call them for free, at any time, from any phone, on 116 123.