The works will cost £3.2m and last for about a year
The latest round of works to repair crumbling New Cut river walls is due to begin(Image: Bristol City Council)
The latest round of repairs to the New Cut river wall is due to begin on Saturday (November 1). A section of the wall next to Cumberland Road, between Gaol Ferry Bridge and the currently closed Bathurst Swing Bridge, will undergo “crucial” repairs which are expected to take up to a year.
Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of Bristol City Council’s Transport and Connectivity Committee, said: “This work is crucial to stop the river wall from collapsing.
“It will help protect the New Cut and the road next to it. By acting now, we’re making sure this part of the city stays safe and open for everyone, while also protecting Bristol’s heritage.”
The area where work is due to commence was identified as an “emergency site” by council officers in July, meaning a potential collapse of that section of the wall posed a “very substantial risk” to the public. The council is liable for any injury or loss of life that occurs on roads it maintains in the event of a section of wall collapsing.
Work will start on November 1 to repair a section of wall near Gaol Ferry Bridge(Image: Bristol City Council)
The £3.2m repair work is part of Bristol City Council ’s multi-million pound commitment to restore walls along New Cut. In July, councillors approved an extra £8.2m to be allocated to the overall project, on top of an existing budget of £10.5m.
However, BCC warned this still fell far short of the anticipated cost of restoring — and then maintaining — the severely damaged walls. An extra £10m a year is required for the next five years, according to the council.
Speaking in July, Cllr Plowden warned of dire consequences if additional money was not secured.
“The river walls have been steadily deteriorating and without appropriate funding, there is a risk of more collapses, which could lead to road closures, flooding, injury, or worse,” he said.
Work to restore the river walls along New Cut is an ongoing project(Image: Bristol City Council)
The council has appealed to the West of England Combined Authority and central government for extra funding.
After part of the wall along Cumberland Road collapsed in 2020 , the council undertook a full inspection of the New Cut river and harbour walls. The Chocolate Path was closed for years while the area was stabilised during £12m works, before reopening in September 2023.
The work to repair the section of the wall near Gaol Ferry Bridge will include: laying concrete and rock foundations on the riverbed, fixing and anchoring the wall and covering the wall with mesh to hold it in place.
Traffic on nearby Cumberland Road will be affected by the repair work.
Part of Cumberland Road will need to close one-way heading towards Gaol Ferry Bridge. Temporary traffic lights will be in place for the duration of the works.
The Wapping Wharf bus stop on Cumberland Road will be closed from 9am on November 1 for around a year. A temporary bus stop will be set up nearby on Cumberland Road.