Project objectives, the programme so far, upcoming and ongoing works.
Our New Cut river wall stabilisation project is an £11.9 million initiative aimed at securing and reinforcing high risk river walls along the New Cut of the River Avon.
The project is a critical step in addressing safety concerns around erosion and instability along the riverbank, to safeguard Bristol harbourside communities and infrastructure into the future.
It's one of a number of key harbourside infrastructure projects that include restoring six New Cut bridges over five years.
Project objectives
- Stabilise and reinforce high risk retaining river walls long the Floating Harbour and New Cut.
- Mitigate the potential consequences of river wall failures, including loss of life, flooding, property damage, and traffic disruption.
- Implement a five-year stabilisation programme to address immediate risks and ensure long-term resilience.
Programme so far
Work started in March 2024 and has included:
- repairing the river wall on the southwest corner of Bedminster Bridge where the roundabout joins Coronation Road
- investigatory works to the river wall alongside Cumberland Road, 90 metres from Gaol Ferry Bridge
- investigatory works to the natural rock faces along the riverbank near Gaol Ferry Bridge
- emergency works to place one-tonne bags on the bank either side of Langton Street Bridge (Banana Bridge) to reduce the tidal pressure on the wall until long-term repairs can be carried out
York Road stabilisation: permanent works
In July 2024 we started emergency repairs to stabilise the river wall either side of Langton Street Bridge (Banana Bridge), which included placing 600 one-tonne bags on the river bank.
We started the long-term, permanent repairs in December 2024, which meant we needed to close York Road between St Luke's Road and Spring Street.
We are switching round this closure on Sunday 6 April so work can start on the long-term repairs to the other side of the river wall.
This means York Road will be closed between St Luke's Road towards Bath Bridges roundabout until June.
Access will be maintained for pedestrians and cyclists but motorised traffic will need to follow the signposted diversions.
The permanent repairs include:
- installing a sheet-piled retaining wall at the top of the bank to stabilise York Road
- building a concrete piled wall behind the existing river wall
- planting trees and vegetation along the stabilised embankment
Motorcycles
Motorcycles must use the on-road diversion. There are signs on the road to reinforce this and we have put barriers in place to prevent people from driving on the pavements and have raised the issue with the police.
Timings
The work site and road closure will move to between St Luke's Road towards Bath Bridges from 6 April 2025.
This stage of the project is expected to be completed in June, depending on the weather and other external factors.
Following this first phase of the long-term repairs, and in a change to the original plan, York Road will change to be one-way, travelling from Bath Bridges roundabout towards Bedminster Bridges roundabout.
This plan has been updated in preparation for refurbishment work starting on Bath Bridges roundabout, which will see some lane closures. This refurbishment work is also expected to start in June 2025.
Thank you
We understand how inconvenient the road closure is. Thank you for your patience so far. We are asking you to bear with us again as we continue working on the permanent repairs that will safeguard York Road and the river wall for future generations.
Vegetation clearance
We need to remove vegetation, including plants, grass and weeds, from both sides of the New Cut river walls so we can assess any structural damage and plan in the repairs.
Under the guidance of ecologists, this work will start on Cumberland Road from the Create Centre and move along the New Cut towards Bathurst Bridge. It will then cross to other side of the river to Coronation Road, starting from the Texaco Garage and going towards Bedminster Bridges.
The vegetation clearance will start on 28 October 2024 and is expected to take around three months to complete. It will mean sections of pavement will need to be closed temporarily, but it should not impact the roads.
Ongoing works and wider programme
- Inspection of natural rock faces near Gaol Ferry Bridge.
- Minor repairs on various sections of river walls along the New Cut as required.
- Repairing Underfall Sluice footbridge, further investigations, ecological assessments, and vegetation clearance at additional river wall sites.
Key features
- Any vegetation clearance will be supervised by ecologists to ensure minimal environmental impact during works.
- Griffiths, the council's contractor, is carrying out the works.