The bridge is one in a series of eight harbour bridges the council is investing in to secure their long-term future.
Built in 1905, Bathurst Swing Bridge carries road traffic and pedestrians from Wapping Road and Cumberland Road to Commercial Road in the Harbourside area of Bristol. This historic bridge has metal sides and is now in a fixed position.
Restoration work will include:
The work is expected to take up to two years, but this will depend upon what condition the bridge is in, which is only possible to see once it has been closed and the decking removed.
Throughout the closure, road traffic and pedestrians will be directed across Commercial Road Bridge, which runs alongside Bathurst Swing Bridge. This will allow two-way traffic with the use of temporary traffic signals on Cumberland Road and Commercial Road. These signals will be responsive to traffic build ups and will be manually operated at peak times.
Following an inspection of the structure, we have moved the Bathurst Swing Bridge repairs to the top of the list of our New Cut bridges programme of work, as it is badly corroded and could become unsafe if we don’t act soon.
Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee
Luckily, we have enough contingency in the £16 million budget to add it to our New Cut bridges restoration programme.
It’s the first time in around 25 years that this historic bridge will have any major work done to it, and it is thanks to our focus on Bristol’s harbourside infrastructure that we have mobilised quickly to get the repairs booked in.
I would like to thank everyone again for their patience while we work to restore our city’s historic bridges and make sure these vital connections are safeguarded for the future. Thankfully, as it has a new bridge immediately alongside, we can minimise disruption.
The council will put up signage in the area and send out letters to local residents and businesses to advise them about the upcoming bridge closure and works.
The restoration of Bathurst Swing Bridge will cost in the region of £1.3 million, which is being funded by the UK Government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.
Find out more about Bathurst Bridge and the New Cut bridges programme of repairs at bristol.gov.uk/newcutbridges.
Leaders across the West have welcomed greater investment through today’s Spending Review, with a record three-quarters of a billion pounds of transport funding confirmed for the West. That means better buses, more trains, and mass transit – with trams and much more on the table. The Treasury has also today confirmed plans to improve rail links between Bristol and Cardiff.
The second phase of a project - to reduce congestion, improve the reliability of buses, and promote active travel along a major transport route in Bristol - will get underway from Monday 16 June 2025.
That’s summer sorted. Children and young people under the age of 16 are set to be able to travel for free on buses across our region during the school holidays, thanks to new investment proposed by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.
Bristol’s first electrified bus depot was opened on 3 June 2025 by a government minister and the West of England’s new mayor.
Leaders across the region have today welcomed more than three-quarters of a billion pounds set to be invested in transport projects in the West. The Chancellor has announced plans to more than double investment in local transport in England’s city regions, committing to “investment in all parts of the country, not just a few.”
