OnTrack senior communications adviser Ruth Larsen yesterday said anyone who crossed that part of the track was ‘‘trespassing, but more importantly, they are risking their lives''.
‘‘We urge people to cross at designated crossing points and keep away from the railway tracks,'' she said.
OnTrack has now put up ‘‘keep out'' signs where the bridge used to be.
A witness told the Otago Daily Times yesterday most of those climbing the fence were skateboarders coming and going from the skatepark on the harbourside of the tracks.
‘‘There's trains going past . . . and there's other trains and wagons parked there and people are sort of leaping across wagons. There's quite a bit of that going on.''
Many commuters have abandoned the Dunedin City Council's Thomas Burns St pay and display park.
Citifleet team leader Brent Bachop said the park had previously been full most days.
‘‘Now, there might be five or 10 parked cars in there. People are obviously not keen on the walk down Thomas Burns into St Andrew [Sts], that's for sure.''
Taieri Gorge chief executive Murray Bond said he knew where the commuters had gone - they were using the parking area next to the railway station and that was having an impact on train passengers.
‘‘We have got tourists coming who are now cancelling their train trips or saying they can't get a car park.''
Commuters were entitled to use the parks but he estimated ‘‘two or three'' tourists a day were cancelling and ‘‘that's not actually very good for the economy of Dunedin''.
‘‘We're actually telling people now to catch a taxi down the the station.''
Tourists were also being discouraged from walking from the station to the harbour basin because of the extra distance.
‘‘It just shows you how vital that bridge was to Dunedin.''
Mr Bachop said he was about to convert 25 leased car parks near the Thomas Burns St roundabout into pay and display parks and that should relieve some pressure.
The council will look at the best option to replace the foot bridge after it receives a consultant's report on March 14.
