There’s no cash to cage in David Trumpy Bridge

IPSWICH City Council wants to cage the David Trumpy Bridge to stop people throwing missiles on to River Heart – but the State Government can’t afford it.

IPSWICH City Council wants to cage the David Trumpy Bridge to stop people throwing missiles on to River Heart - but the State Government says it can't afford it.

Brisbane City Council announced this week it will install suicide prevention barriers on the Story Bridge.

And on Wednesday, a man caused traffic chaos in the Ipswich CBD after he threatened to jump off David Trumpy Bridge.

In 2010, then-council works boss Trevor Nardi said the council wanted a cage under the bridge before someone was injured.

At the time, the Department of Transport and Main Roads said it was investigating options to install "anti-throw screens" along both sides of the state-controlled bridge.

"The department is consulting with Ipswich City Council to obtain feedback on preliminary layout plans for the anti-throw screens," a spokesman said.

But this week, the council's infrastructure committee chairwoman Cr Cheryl Bromage said the situation had changed.

"Due to issues in the past Ipswich City Council has raised the matter with the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads," she said. "The department has indicated that it is low on their priority list."

The Transport and Main Roads Department said there was no money in its budget for the project.

"There is currently no state funding available for the installation of anti-throw screens on David Trumpy Bridge. We will continue to review and prioritise our construction and maintenance programs," a spokeswoman said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Paul Pisasale had an alternative solution to a cage under the bridge.

"Rather than trying to stop them, wouldn't it be better to arrest them? It's the same kids over and over again," he said.

"Especially now when we've got so much damage to infrastructure.

"So do we want to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars doing this or do we try to increase the penalties in the courts so there's some respect for the law?

"The trouble is these kids are going to court and getting a slap on the wrist. I agree we need to put safety stuff in but no amount of money will stop these people doing these things; because if it's not the bridge, it's somewhere else."