SOUTH side residents are petitioning council bosses to reopen a bridge giving them access to the city centre.

Locals were stunned when Polmadie Bridge - which takes them over to Glasgow Green - was closed off in May last year.

And 17 months later residents of Oatlands are still waiting to find out what will happen with the bridge.

Now Tony Lawson,who lives in Oatlands, has set up an online petition calling for Glasgow City Council to repair the bridge.

The 52-year-old said: “The bridge was blocked off overnight. I had used it the night before and then the next day a fence was up.

“There was no explanation or consultation so I wrote to the head of planning for information and was told it was safety reasons - but given no idea of how long it would be shut for.”

Polmadie Bridge, also known as Kay’s Bridge, shut on May 14 2015.

The bridge deck has been removed to protect those using the river underneath and the council has said the 60 year old structure is not a priority to repair.

For Oatlands residents, however, it is a priority.

The new development was marketed as being in walking distance of the city centre, via Glasgow Green, and the loss of the bridge means this is no longer the case.

Tony said: “The bridge is a link for pedestrians and cyclists to get from Oatlands to Glasgow Green.

“Now we have a long detour to get across the river and we have no direct link across the river and in to the city centre.

“People have to drive, which is completely against the council’s stance on active travel.”

His Free the Polmadie Bridge petition adds: “The pillars that have been left after the demolition of the bridge are an eyesore and a blight on an otherwise thriving area.

“There are no longer lots of dog walkers, cyclists and children playing on this side of the Green which has provided fresh air and exercise for the residents of Oatlands for hundreds of years.”

The petition has so far received more than 1000 signatures, which Tony said is a “great surprise” as he had expected to gain around 100.

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “The Polmadie bridge deck was in such a poor condition that repairing or strengthening it was not an option.

“While restrictions on river users and the walkway along the riverbanks have been lifted, we appreciate local residents who previously used the bridge to access recreation in Glasgow Green are bearing the brunt.

“We continue to explore all funding possibilities to replace the Polmadie bridge deck.

“However, the reality is that we have a number of competing priorities for investment and a shrinking budget - including at least £130 million of cuts from the Scottish Government this year and next.”

The petition is at you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/free-the-polmadie-bridge-1