The sister of a man who jumped to his death from Archway Bridge is calling for urgent action after rescuing a stranger from the same spot.
Loren Averill’s brother Jonathan Culverwell-Landsberg, who had suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, died on Archway Road, beneath the bridge, in June 2013.
His family were told safety measures would be put in place swiftly.
Plans to erect a 3.1m steel fence on the inside of the bridge, also known as Hornsey Lane Bridge, were signed off by Haringey and Islington councils in October last year. But 12 months on there is still no permanent shield in place.
Transport for London (TfL) trialled a fence in February, aiming to install one permanently in the summer, but an agreement could not be reached on its design. Instead transport chiefs were this week planning to build a second, also temporary, version of the fence.
Loren normally avoids the bridge, but needed to go for a job interview at the Whittington Hospital on September 30.
The 24-year-old was in the car with friends when they saw a man gripping the side of the bridge. Her friend called out and the man ran away.
They waited a while and when the man returned, they called the police. Loren said: “I was so distraught – so much was going through my mind about my brother.”
The police took her details, but she does not know what happened to the stranger. Loren, who hopes to be a counsellor, said: “It just makes me really angry. I went to the meeting over a year ago, I just thought it was going to be there. I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through.”
TfL’s Sam Monck, who is head of borough projects and programmes for surface transport, said: “We are working with Islington and Haringey councils to create a safety measure at Hornsey Lane Bridge to prevent suicide attempts while respecting the heritage features of the bridge.
“We are working on a suitable design which we hope will be granted approval by both councils later this year.”
For confidential emotional support, call Samaritans free on 116 123
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here