Gaol Ferry Bridge diversion: Two possible routes around closure and how long they will take to walk

The thousands of people who use Gaol Ferry Bridge to travel from South Bristol into the city centre could see up to 22 minutes added onto their journey time as the bridge closes for more than six months for repair works.

Being one of only two pedestrian bridges over the Avon New Cut, Gaol Ferry Bridge is a key route for pedestrians and cyclists travelling from Bedminster through the Wapping Wharf development and into the city centre.

But it needs ‘essential’ works to maintain it for the long-term future, according to Bristol City Council which say the project forms part of a multi-million pound investment into the harbourside area.

The authority is currently drawing up a list of diversions before the works commences in April, but while we wait we’ve drawn up two alternative routes from Gaol Ferry Bridge to Prince Street Bridge.

Closure aside, the walk across Gaol Ferry Bridge and to Prince Street Bridge would usually only take you six minutes and is a distance of 0.3 miles.

Route One - 10 minutes added journey time

The quickest route would entail walking east along Coronation Road and taking the first exit onto Commercial Road at Bedminster Bridge Roundabout.

At the roundabout, you would then take the first exit onto Wapping Road and continue all the way onto Prince Street Bridge.

This would add around 10 minutes onto your journey, with a distance of 0.8 miles.

Route Two - 22 minutes added journey time

If you lived further to the west or wanted to skip the busy roundabout, you could use the Vauxhall Bridge instead - but this would add more time to your journey as you would have to walk an extra half mile.

From Gaol Ferry Bridge, walk west along Coronation Road and to Vauxhall Bridge.

Cross the bridge, walk east along Cumberland Road and turn left onto Gaol Ferry Steps at the other side of the Gaol Ferry Bridge. Then turn right onto Museum Street and left onto Wapping Road before arriving at Prince Street Bridge.

This would add around 22 minutes onto your journey, with a distance of 1.3 miles.

When official diversions will be announced

Bristol City Council said it will start to survey users of the bridge on their journeys as part of work to draw up diversion routes during the closure.

It is not yet clear if there will be more than one diversion route.

The work on the bridge will see repairs to structural steelwork, the replacement of rotten timbers and repainting of the bridge, and is due to start in April.

The bridge opened in 1935 and replaced a ferry service from south Bristol to the city’s old prison.

The ferry service has since been demolished, although the closure of the bridge has sparked calls from some residents to bring it back.