Temporary Re-Opening for Victoria Bridge

Victoria Bridge has been re-opened on a temporary basis for people travelling on foot.

The temporary re-opening follows on from the emergency works that took place in December 2011 where a truss was constructed across the bridge to protect the structure from failing.

People on bicycles are being encouraged to dismount before crossing the bridge because of the limited space available for riding a bike safely alongside people on foot and the height is too low.

Councillor Roger Symonds (Lib-Dem, Combe Down), Cabinet Member for Transport, said, “People will now be able to move more conveniently between Lower Bristol Road and Upper Bristol Road until the work starts on a permanent solution for the bridge. Bath & North East Somerset Council is committed to developing a long-term, permanent solution that will fix Victoria Bridge and we anticipate that work will start next year once the project is fully developed.”

The temporary works solution provides an early protection to limit the risk of collapse, a working platform on which to undertake permanent refurbishment, as well as the opportunity for the pedestrian passageway to be installed within.

The Council is proactively developing potential permanent solutions to permanently fix the problem and have been liaising with English Heritage on the permanent restoration of this technically complex, listed structure to re-open the bridge to the public.

The route across the Bridge will remain open until work starts on the permanent solution which is expected to be in the first half of 2013. A public Cabinet meeting to approve the next phase of the project will be held on June 13th 2012.