‘KNIFE THREAT’ ON BRIDGE

NEWPORT Transporter Bridge was brought to a standstill after members of staff were allegedly threatened with knives. Staff at the site were forced to stop crossings on the bridge this week after reportedly receiving threats on the east side of the river.

One bridge user on the west side said: “A member of staff said to me, ‘We’re not running any more trips over there today, there are two guys with knives over there. I don’t want you going over there.’

“I was told they were travellers that had moved into one of the factory units.”

In a separate incident a driver said he was intimidated after parking near a warehouse on Esperanto Way, which a group of travellers are understood to have occupied and which sits at the bridge’s east entrance.

As he pulled out of the junction towards Stephenson Street the driver said he was followed by a vehicle from the site.

The driver of the other vehicle then pulled onto the wrong side of the road and alongside him.

According to the victim, the other car began moving down the wrong side of the road and a man in the vehicle began shouting questions at him through the window.

“He said, ‘Can I help you? Are you looking for something? Have you lost something?’” the source said.

“This went on for 30 seconds, a minute, until he stopped and turned around and headed back.

“I was slightly concerned he was going to force me off the road.”

Within minutes of the incident yesterday Gwent Police were called.

A spokeswoman for the local authority said a group of travellers in the area were “being dealt with by Newport City Council”.

The authority said it could “confirm there was an incident in which verbal threats were made to bridge staff by two youths”.

“Although there might have been a slight interruption to service at this time, the bridge was not closed and otherwise operated as usual that day,” the spokeswoman said.

“However, the council deplores any abuse of staff.”