News / Bristol
Ashton Avenue swing bridge to reopen
The Ashton Avenue swing bridge is reopening on Thursday after being closed for more than 18 months for refurbishment.
When it opened in 1906, the double-decker bridge had trains running on its lower deck and a road above it.
For now, it will only be able to be accessed by pedestrians and cyclists until the MetroBus route begins later this year.
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Improvements to the bridge as part of the £3.2m project include the creation of a separate lane for buses, the replacement of damaged steelworks and the removal of graffiti.
The refurbishment work ensures that the bridge will be working for many more years as without being repaired there was a real risk that it could have been permanently closed due to its dilapidated condition.
The bridge was in such a bad condition there was a real risk it might have been forced to close
The bridge’s lower deck used to be a part of the Bristol Harbour Railway while the top deck carried road traffic out of the city.
The road deck was removed in 1965, leaving the railway as the sole purpose of the bridge until 1985.
Ashton Avenue swing bridge soon after it opened – photo courtesy of Bristol Archives
The bridge in 2015 before refurbishment began
The next notable MetroBus dates include:
June: Work completed at Aztec West, announcement of MetroBus operators and work completed on Bradley Stoke Way
July: Speed cameras installed at M32 junction 3 and southbound bus lane will open
August: Unveiling of brand, logos, buses and iPoints; iPoint installation begins
October: Hartcliffe Way and Stoke Lane works completed
Autumn: Stoke Gifford Transport Link opens and MetroBus services start
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