THE LIGHTS on the Tramway Bridge are set to go back on at a cost of £90,000 – much to anger of a former town mayor.
Stratford District Council’s Cabinet this week agreed to the replacement of the feature lighting scheme in time to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death next April.
The lights were installed on the Grade II listed bridge in 2010 as part of the World Class Stratford initiative.
The £138,000 scheme of programmable coloured lighting has been dogged with problems and despite efforts to fix them they still do not work properly.
It will cost around £84,000 to fit new lights on the bridge , which has spanned the Avon since 1826, together with strip-out costs of £6,000.
Former Stratford mayor Cyril Bennis is far from impressed.
He told The Observer: “Are these lights the most expensive in the country?
“The lights were installed five years ago. Problems arose shortly afterwards, and they have never worked since.
“Stratford District Council, after recently agreeing to spend a further £90,000, will have spent a total of £300,000 of taxpayers’ money on installing and repairing decorative strip lighting on the Tramway Bridge.
“The council are unable to guarantee that the new scheme will be successful.”
