A Ramsey Commissioner has questioned whether the long-term aim for the town’s Victorian swing bridge is to make it pedestrian-only, and says Ramsey ‘deserves better’ than continued delays.

The Department of Infrastructure closed the bridge to vehicles in January after a structural survey raised concerns about parts of the deck.

While it remains open to pedestrians, there is currently no firm timetable for when traffic will return.

In its latest update, the DoI confirmed it is still awaiting a design before repairs can begin, and that the re-opening would appear to still be some way off.

Commissioner Juan McGuinness said residents are growing increasingly frustrated and believes the iconic structure is becoming little more than a photo opportunity.

Posting on social media, he said: ‘I don’t think I’m alone in suspecting the real end game is a pedestrian-only crossing. And with no firm timetable in sight, that suspicion only grows.’

He added that the closure has led to daily tailbacks at the North Shore Road and Bowring Road junction: ‘Queues now feel almost as traditional as the bridge itself.’

Mr McGuinness drew comparisons with Queen’s Pier, which he said was once similarly left to languish due to its heritage status. ‘What was once a key access point from the town centre to the Mooragh Promenade is reduced to a photo-op. Sound familiar?’

He called on the department to provide residents with more transparency: ‘Ramsey deserves better than indefinite “design stages”.

‘A straight answer on the plan, and a timeline, would be a welcome change.’

The swing bridge, which dates back to the 1890s, has undergone a number of closures in recent years.