City's famous bridge refurbishment gets underway

Work on the bridge will take two years to complete

Refurbishment work to a city's famous bridge has begun, as part of a major project to protect the landmark's iron chains.

Workers will begin by pulling a cable underneath the Clifton Suspension Bridge for the lighting, while putting up a compound on Sion Hill.

Next month painting will begin, with contractors beginning with parapet fencing, before moving on to the chains.

Work to replace the illuminations will also take place as part of the Bristol project.

The Clifton Suspension Bridge opened in 1864

A protective paint system will be used across the chains, latticework and stanchions, which run along the outer side of the bridge's footways.

The bridge's trust says the chains will need to be "painstakingly painted by hand", adding specially made tools have been commissioned to ensure full coverage of the wrought iron.

One footway will be closed to the public as the suspension chains, parapet girder latticework and curved supports along the length of the bridge are painted, and as the lighting is removed and updated.

Bridgemaster Trish Johnson said: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime project that will safeguard important original features designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, as well as updating the bridge's illuminations to ensure we are reaching the highest standards for sustainability whilst minimising light pollution."

A large number of the bridge's chain links are 180 years old and were originally used for Brunel's Hungerford Footbridge in London, which opened in 1845.

When the footbridge was demolished to make way for the Charing Cross Railway Bridge, the engineer John Hawkshaw recycled the parts to complete Bristol's own suspension bridge.

The work is expected to take up to two years, and has been entirely funded by the bridge's toll.