The stadium footbridge will no longer be ready for the start of next year’s AFL season after design changes the State Government says will save $4 million in construction costs and $11 million in maintenance over 40 years.

In a twist, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti has told State Parliament the design changes could allow future bridge climbs of the 65-metre-high structure as a tourism drawcard.

The builders are effectively dispensing with black and white fabric which was to give the arches a smooth appearance and instead expose steel arches, which could potentially be climbed.

Ms Saffioti said the removal of the cladding from the design would “improve structural capacity by eliminating 275 tonnes of secondary steel from the 50 arch modules, while also reducing wind loading and noise caused by the fabric”.

But the delivery timeframe would be delayed by two months from March to May, because of the late arrival of some steel from China and the need to find a new “laydown area” for bridge assembly, after the previous one was reclaimed by the Westadium consortium under its contract.

Optus Stadium is scheduled to host 10 AFL games between the season opener on March 25 and the end of May.

Camera Icon How the bridge might have looked had the cladding remained.

It will also stage two Ed Sheeran concerts on March 2 and 3, and an NRL double header on March 10.

A Nitro Circus event is scheduled for April 22.

About 14,000 people are expected to use the bridge on game days once complete.

No events will have to be rescheduled because of the delay to the footbridge.