The Adelaide City Council confirmed at a meeting last night that would not be contributing the $1 million requested by the Government to co-fund the $7-$8 million proposed bridge.

The council endorsed advice from its administration, as reported by InDaily yesterday, that helping fund the bridge was not the council’s responsibility because, among other things, it would be outside of the council’s jurisdiction.

Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan told InDaily this morning that without money from the city council, and from the City of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters, which has also rejected making a contribution, there would be “insufficient funding” for the project.

“The State Government said it was willing to consider a footbridge provided the City of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters and Adelaide City Council also made a contribution towards the cost,” said Mullighan.

“Without this contribution there is insufficient funding for the footbridge.

“Given both councils have indicated they are unwilling to contribute to the project, a footbridge will not be added to the project scope.”

Mullighan said the Government had taken pedestrian access across Hackney Road into account in its designs for the O-Bahn extension project, but had considered constructing a pedestrian bridge after St Peter’s College, among others, requested it.

“Appropriate pedestrian refuges to provide for pedestrian movements across the Hackney Road corridor were included in the O-Bahn City Access Project plans, which were approved by the independent Development Assessment Commission,” Mullighan told InDaily.

“A separate footbridge proposal was developed after stakeholders such as St Peter’s College raised the proposal.”

The city council’s administration had advised that “issues with ease of access that result from the impact of the [O-Bahn extension] project should be the responsibility of the proponents to resolve”.

The Government had also asked St Peter’s College to help fund the project, but asked by InDaily if it were willing to contribute funds, the school said: “We are looking forward to the State Government’s plan to address the safety of residents crossing this major arterial road particularly as the Hackney Road corridor increases in population in alignment with the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide”.

“St Peter’s College is concerned about the safety of the whole community crossing Hackney Road both now and post the implementation of the O’Bahn development.”