THE eyesore scaffolding and plastic sheeting wrapped around a Teignmouth rail bridge is likely to stay there until the end of the summer.
The bad news was gleaned from Network Rail by local councillor Sylvia Russell, who had sent a protest letter about the state of the Eastcliff bridge, on the seaward side of the railway station.
It was being given a major facelift, but work stopped abruptly at the end of last year when the contractor, Wrekin, went into administration.
For the last few months it has become a blot on the seafront landscape, with the plastic sheeting, used to protect the workforce, becoming shredded by the weather and scaffolding rusting.
Replying to her complaint, Network Rail said it did not expect to appoint a new contractor until the end of May, and work was estimated to take another ten weeks to complete.
Cllr Russell responded to the rail company that she realised there was a procedure to follow with the administrator, but was 'dismayed by the news you do not expect the work to finish until late August, assuming there are no further complications.
'This will cause considerable inconvenience to the thousands of pedestrians, including many children, who use the bridge to reach Eastcliff and the promenade.
'While I am prepared to accept your assurances that work will recommence, I cannot understand why Network Rail, an organisation that strives, according to its website, "to be a good neighbour, working with communities", has allowed such a situation to develop without using its considerable commercial clout to make alternative arrangements to finish the contract, when the difficulties with Wrekin first became apparent.'