News / Chocolate Path

Repairs to Chocolate Path to be finished ‘in early 2023’

By Betty Woolerton  Thursday Oct 6, 2022

Work on Bristol’s much-loved Chocolate Path is set to be completed five years after it was shut due to serious subsidence.

The waterside route, known locally as the Chocolate Path because of its resemblance to chocolate bars, has been closed since December 2017 with part of it collapsing into the New Cut in early 2020.

The Chocolate Path has been out of bounds since, branded unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians with repairs costing £11m.

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“Following a landslide and the collapse of part of the retaining wall, essential works were needed to stabilise the river wall which supports the Chocolate Path and historic railway,” a Bristol City Council spokesperson told Bristol24/7.

A chunk of the off-road route, which runs from Cumberland Road to Avon Crescent, first closed in December 2016 as a result of settlement and failure of the path surfacing and river retaining wall.

Then, a temporary diversion was put in place, but further damage was found in December 2017, including “significant lateral cracking on the temporary diversion path route”, at which point the council closed the entire path.

The path’s repair work has met complications along the way with it originally intended to be finished in spring 2021.

“The impact of the pandemic and the time needed to redesign the scheme due to the landslide, have led to a delay in the project,” said the council, adding that “work is expected to be completed in early 2023 within the original budget of £11 million”.

The Chocolate Path was built when the Bristol Harbour Railway linked Ashton Bridge with Wapping Wharf in 1906

A council spokesperson added: “Maintenance of Bristol’s carriageways, streets, footpaths and bridges has suffered from decades of under investment from central government leaving a backlog of repairs and major refurbishment.

“Recent investment in the infrastructure and environment around Bristol’s harbourside will protect and ensure it remains safe to use now and for many years to come.

“We’re also investing in the bridges in the area, including Avon Bridge which is undergoing essential refurbishment to keep it operational and protect it from further water damage, and Gaol Ferry Bridge where extensive repairs are being carried out to address structural issues.”

All photos: Betty Woolerton

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