News / Kingsweston
£1.1m works to repair and restore Kingsweston Iron Bridge to begin soon
In November 2015, David Cameron was prime minister, George Ferguson was Bristol mayor and Kingsweston Iron Bridge was hit by a lorry causing it to remain closed to pedestrians ever since.
After being shut for eight years during which time it has been covered in scaffolding, work is due to start in November to repair the Grade II listed footbridge.
The £1.1m restoration project will raise the bridge up by just over a metre and add steps at either end of the structure built in around 1800 that links Blaise Castle Estate to Kingsweston Fields.
Work will begin on November 27 to dismantle the bridge piece by piece so that it can be repaired off-site, with parts re-cast if they are beyond repair.
In the new year, work will start to build up the stone abutments by 1.074m ready for when the bridge can be craned back into place across Kings Weston Road.
For the last eight years, many local people have campaigned for the bridge to be repaired and reopened – photo: Ella Calland
Cabinet member for transport, Don Alexander, also the local councillor for Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston in which the bridge is located, said that he is “especially delighted that we are in a position get started with the repairs to this historic bridge”.
He said: “I know many people have missed Kingsweston Iron Bridge while it has been out of action and will welcome the news that we are restoring it and will be reopening it next year.”
Main photo: Bristol City Council
Read next:
- MP calls on mayor to end long-running bridge saga
- Historic bridge remains closed after seven years of campaigning
- Long-awaited repairs to historic bridge one step closer
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