CAMPAIGNERS hope new housebuilding schemes will help pay to improve a pigeon-poo covered footbridge that has no disabled access after years of waiting for action.

Hove Station Neighbourhood Forum has renewed calls for action to be taken over the state of the footbridge over Hove Railway Station.

More than 500 residents have backed their campaign for short-term measures to improve the appearance of the bridge which is a target for graffiti and droppings from pigeons, foxes and also dogs.

Forum member Mike Gibson told councillors residents also wanted a longer-term action plan for the 120-year-old bridge.

The group has been campaigning for years for improvements to the bridge with forum member and architect David Kemp drawing up plans for a replacement more than three years ago.

Mr Gibson said £1 million was the minimum needed to add lifts for disabled access for the bridge - which currently requires wheelchair user and mothers with pushchairs to negotiate 28 steps.

He said that while Network Rail owned and maintained the bridge and the city council was responsible for its upkeep, neither body had taken responsibility for its replacement.

Mr Gibson said replacing the bridge required a higher priority than it had received to date and it was a “fundamentally important part” of the area’s regeneration which could see up to 1,300 new homes built in the next decade.

Developers Mountpark unveiled plans for 600 homes at Sackville Trading estate at the weekend while there are plans for almost 200 in Ellen Street.

He said: “The issue of Hove footbridge is absolutely central to the neighbourhood plan’s vision for the whole Hove Station quarter.”

Councillor Gill Mitchell, transport committee chairwoman at Brighton and Hove City Council, said the authority was aware of the longstanding issues with state of the bridge and the council was in regular discussion with Network Rail.

She said she would respond to residents’ concerns by requesting Cityclean to monitor its cleanliness.

She added the bridge, while currently structurally sound, was fast approaching the end of its design life but a full reconstruction of the bridge was Network Rail’s responsibility.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Network Rail owns and maintains the footbridge in Hove, but the local council is responsible for paying for the upkeep and any improvements.

“Should the council wish to upgrade the bridge, they can approach us to do so, subject to their being able to fund the work.”