Refurbishment works on Bath New Bridge are expected to start this summer, causing significant traffic delays.

The works form but of Bristol’s City Council’s £16 million New Cut bridges programme to restore Bristol’s eight much loved and important crossings along the New Cut over five years.

So far, three bridges have been repaired - Langton Street Bridge (Banana Bridge), New Brislington Bridge and Gaol Ferry Bridge - and three have works underway - Bathurst Swing Bridge, Sparke Evans Park Bridge and Vauxhall Bridge.

Construction works to repair Bath New Bridge, part of Bath Bridges roundabout on the A4 Bath Road, are expected to start on July 14 and be completed by spring 2026, and expected to cost around £1.5 million.

It will include:

Removing vegetation from the structure
Replacing two expansion joints
Repairing the parapets and concrete bridge deck
Replacing the water proofing and resurfacing the road

During the duration of the works, only one lane of the bridge will remain open, meaning significant delays are expected when heading into the city centre via the A4.

Overnight closures are expected towards the end of the project so the whole width of the road can be resurfaced.

Construction works to repair Bath New Bridge are expected to start on July 14 and be completed by spring 2026. During the duration of the works, only one lane of the bridge will remain open, meaning significant delays are expected when heading into the city centre via the A4. | Bristol City Council

placeholder image — Construction works to repair Bath New Bridge are expected to start on July 14 and be completed by spring 2026. During the duration of the works, only one lane of the bridge will remain open, meaning significant delays are expected when heading into the city centre via the A4. | Bristol City Council

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York Road will reopen one-way travelling from Bath Bridges roundabout towards Bedminster Bridges roundabout from July 14 to allow the river bank stabilisation works to continue along York Road while keeping traffic moving throughout the Bath New Bridge works.

There will also be no right turn from St Luke’s Road onto York Road and no left turn from Bath New Bridge onto Clarence Road, meaning York Road and Clarence Road will act as a gyratory system.

Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, said: “Having reopened the spectacular looking Banana Bridge on June 20, we are moving onto the next bridge in our ambitious programme to restore eight bridges along the New Cut.

“Bath New Bridge is part of a major transport route into Bristol, so we’ve planned the works to keep disruption down as much as possible.

“However, because of the high volume of traffic travelling over the bridge, delays are to be expected, and I’d like to thank everyone once again for bearing with us while we work to safeguard the future of our bridges and these vital connections.

“After many years of not having the funding to invest in Bristol’s infrastructure, it is good news that we can work in partnership with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority to make sure our harbourside infrastructure is robust and remains in place for future generations.”

Helen Godwin, the new Mayor of the West of England, said: “Getting the basics right by fixing our region’s roads and bridges will lay the foundations for a better transport system overall for the West of England. Earlier this month, we secured £752 million for that next stage.

“That means that the West can get out of the slow lane on transport and start to catch up with other city-regions, with better buses, more trains, and mass transit – with trams and much more on the table.”