Winterstoke Road replacement bridge

In 2019, the Ministry of Defence allocated £10.8m in funding so that we could build a replacement bridge on Winterstoke Road.

Project background

The existing bridge provides both a road and foot crossing over a mainline railway between Bristol and Taunton. It was built during World War II.

Due to its age, it is in poor condition and requires regular repairs to ensure that it is safe for our road users, pedestrians, and passengers on the trains below.

In recent years, the bridge has had a 7.5T weight restriction put in place to prevent larger vehicles from using it. This was done to prolong the life of the bridge. Since then, the condition has gradually worsened, with ongoing repair no longer financially possible. Without replacement, further weight restrictions and full closure would be likely in the next five to 10 years.

Replacing the bridge

Winterstoke Road is a vital route within Weston, with many local businesses and communities relying on the route for access. It also previously acted as an emergency diversion route for the M5.

Given the importance of the bridge, the Ministry of Defence (who own the bridge) have allocated funding to us to design and build a replacement that will better serve the area.

2023 update

We are currently working with the Ministry of Defence to meet challenges presented by inflation and rising costs across the construction industry. The Ministry of Defence have committed an additional £9m to the scheme and we will soon be able to provide an updated timeline for its design and development. We expect the replacement bridge will open in 2025 (subject to rail possessions).

Further updates

We will be updating this webpage as the scheme moves forward with more details of design, upcoming works, and more.