The government has opened a new fund for councils to fix neglected infrastructure around the UK.

Donnington Bridge is in need of around £4m worth of repair work having been closed to buses in 2024.

And a major project to replace the ageing Kennington rail bridge is being delayed due to a massive £71m funding shortfall.

Oxford Labour said some of the city’s bridges “are not in good shape” and welcomed the funding opportunity.

Kennington rail bridge’s north elevation (Image: Oxfordshire County Council)

“We trust the county council will be applying to this fund and stepping up their surveying and repair work,” a party spokeswoman said.

Isis county councillor Brad Baines said: “We remain extremely concerned about the ongoing uncertainty over the future of Donnington Bridge.

“The county council has refused to commit to funding the reinforcement or replacement of the bridge or restoration of bus connections across it.”

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An inspection confirmed the bridge must be repaired or replaced before full‑sized buses can return.

Repairs could cost £4 million and take two years, while replacement might cost up to £30 million and take much longer.

The council said feasibility work on options is due by summer but expanding the service “would, unfortunately, be prohibitive.”

Siobhan Lancaster (Image: Esme Kenney)

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander (Image: Yui Mok/PA)

Oxford resident and campaigner Siobhan Lancaster added: “Residents in south and east Oxford need certainty about the future of this vital infrastructure and this new fund could provide that.

“We continue to call on the county council to provide this, apply to this fund and get the job done.”

Oxfordshire County Council’s spokesman said: “We welcome any extra money being made available for repairing structures such as this fund.

“Oxfordshire has many historic bridges and other infrastructure that is in need of attention and we will look into the criteria to make sure the county gets its fair share of this money.”

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander, who was a recent victim to one of Oxfordshire’s potholes, said: “Crumbling bridges and worn-out flyovers have been patched up rather than properly fixed for far too long, leading to frustrating weight limits and lengthy diversions.

“Every closed bridge is a barrier to growth; a blocked route to work, a delayed delivery, a family unable to reach the services they depend on.

“Councils have known what needs fixing for years but simply haven’t had the resources to act.

“We’re changing that, making sure structures are repaired properly, so people can live in properly connected communities.”

Funding decisions will be announced in autumn 2026, with all successful schemes required to complete works by March 2030.

Former Spice Girl Lady Victoria and her husband, former England footballer Sir David Beckham, have lived in Oxfordshire for around a decade.

The couple, who have a Cotswolds mansion in Great Tew near Chipping Norton, have been embroiled in a public family feud for some time now.

In January, this came to a head as their eldest son, Brooklyn, made explosive allegations in a lengthy Instagram post.

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He claimed that his mother “hijacked” his first dance with his wife, Nicola Peltz, and danced “inappropriately on me” in front of their guests, adding that he had never felt more “uncomfortable or humiliated” in his life.

And he also alleged that his wife had been “disrespected” by his family and was not invited to his father’s 50th birthday party.

Now, Brooklyn Beckham has failed to wish his mother a happy birthday today (Friday, April 17) as the fashion icon turns 52 years old.

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Other members of the family, including Sir David and son Romeo, as well as her youngest son Cruz’s girlfriend, Jackie Apostel, all posted well-wishes to the matriarch across social media.

Brooklyn instead uploaded an Instagram video of him preparing “sweet jalapeño salmon with arugula walnut salad”.

His wife, Nicola Peltz, whom he married in 2022, also made no post regarding her mother-in-law’s birthday.

Jimi Monaghan, of John Jones Close, Abingdon, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on April 17.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage and one count of being in possession of a class B drug, namely cannabis, in Abingdon on September 5 last year.

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The court heard he had been on remand for one month after he was initially charged with more serious offences, but these were discontinued.

Judge Hassan Khan said: “You broke glass at the property and found your way inside. You were on remand for a month for more serious offences which were discontinued.”

Monaghan was given a 12-month conditional discharge. He was also ordered to pay £150 in costs and an order was made for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and a grinder.