Bridge repair work completion delayed - council

Part of the delay is caused to damage found by the World War Two bomb

An historic Bristol bridge that was closed for repairs will not reopen until at least 2026 - a year later than planned.

Investigations to Vauxhall Bridge, a Grade II-listed structure that crosses the New Cut of the River Avon, found "severely corroded metalwork" caused by its age and bomb damage in World War Two.

The delay to the project means the £3m budget for the works will rise too.

Councillor Ed Plowden said replacing the bridge with a new one would "add more years and cost money".

The cost of the work will be covered by the contingency funding for the overall project, Bristol City Council said.

The local authority and Historic England have been working to agree a plan to repair the 124-year-old bridge, which has been closed since October.

Work will need to be done in phases to avoid putting too much pressure on the structure.

Vauxhall Bridge has "severely corroded metalwork", according to the council

Sparke Evans Park Bridge has also been closed since October

The council also confirmed that Sparke Evans Park Bridge in Brislington, which closed in October 2023 for two years for repairs, could face a delayed completion too due to structural damage.

"Everything is being done to keep the programme on track", a spokesperson from the council said.

Work to the Langton Street Bridge - commonly known as the Banana Bridge - started in May.

The council said the 18-month-long project remains on track, with inspectors finding the condition of the structure to be as expected.

Work started on the Langton Street Bridge in May

It is all part of a £16m, five-year programme to repair six historic bridges that span the New Cut of the River Avon.

So far, Gaol Ferry Bridge has been restored and reopened.

Work is yet to start on the remaining two bridges - Bedminster New Bridge and Bath New Bridge.

Mr Plowden added: “All these bridges are coming to the end of their working design lives, so need extensive and often complex phased repairs to restore them.

“Before the structural repairs are done, it would be dangerous to add too much weight to the bridges, so all the work must be done in phases.

"This slows the overall project down and it is not feasible to reopen the bridges between each phase of work.

“I know how important it is to complete these works as quickly as possible, and I’d like to thank you all for your continued patience while we work to safeguard these vital connections across the New Cut.”