News / Gaol Ferry Bridge
More than three-quarters of people don’t think Gaol Ferry Bridge will reopen within a year
Bristol City Council estimate that Gaol Ferry Bridge will be closed for six to nine months.
But in a Bristol24/7 survey of almost 600 people, three-quarters think that the bridge will not be reopening for more than a year.
The historic bridge connecting Coronation Road to Wapping Wharf finally shut on Monday, with many people unaware it was going to close left scratching their heads on both sides of the New Cut.
is needed now More than ever
The bridge will need to be completely closed from when the repairs begin and remain closed until they’re completed.
A page on the council website about the closure says that they are encouraging contractors “to reopen the bridge as soon as possible”.
But due to the “complexity” of the project, “timelines can also change depending on external factors, like if we find the bridge is in a worse condition when all the decking is removed”.
People including artist Luke Jerram have asked why no temporary bridge can be built, with the council saying that this is prohibitively too expensive and disruptive.
A floating pontoon is also said to be “not a viable option” due to the tides in the New Cut.
Repairs to Gaol Bridge are expected to cost £1m, with the bridge the first of six spans over the New Cut that are set to be repaired over the next five years.
Cyclists have called the council to do more to ensure their safety while the diversions are in place, such as putting a segregated cycle lane on Bedminster Bridge.
But cabinet member for transport, Don Alexander, said that they “have looked at all the options (but) it’s not unfortunately” possible.
In London, things are done differently:
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read next:
- Cyclists and pedestrians rejoice: Bristol does know how to build segregated paths
- Gaol Ferry Bridge officially closes for at least six months
- Fears bridge closure will ‘devastate’ Wapping Wharf businesses
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