Bristol harbour bridge to close for 10 weeks of repairs

Repairs began in January last year but stalled after the company fixing the structure went into administration

A bridge in Bristol city centre will shut for 10 weeks to drivers and pedestrians for £3m repair work.

The 80-year-old Bascule bridge connects the Redcliffe area to Welsh Back and Queen Square.

It will close in the summer while contractors fix the machinery which opens and closes it.

Repairs began in January last year but stalled after the company fixing the structure went into administration.

Two phases

While the bridge is closed, people will be diverted to Bristol Bridge, which will temporarily allow all traffic to cross over it as the repair works take place, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

"These works are vital to restore this Bristol landmark, future-proofing the structure and bringing the bridge back into full operation," said Cllr Don Alexander.

"It will also mean we can improve the road surface, reducing noise for local residents and creating better journeys for all."

The repairs to the bridge, which has not fully worked since 2015, will take place in two phases.

The first phase will begin in June, and will see one footpath closed to pedestrians.

The second phase, which will start later in the summer, will last for 10 weeks and see the whole crossing closed, as the bridge must be kept upright while contractors fix the machinery.