Bridge to stay shut on hot days after getting stuck

A major bridge allowing ships into Bristol will not be allowed to open on days when temperatures reach 30C, officials have said.

Plimsoll Swing Bridge regularly swings open to allow larger boats and ships in and out of the harbour, and is used by tens of thousands of motorists every day travelling into the city centre along Brunel Way.

During a heatwave in May the route was closed after the steel bridge structure expanded in the heat and was unable to be fully shut, causing huge travel delays.

A Bristol City Council committee report said the opening ban aims to protect the infrastructure, and will be in place until an "engineering solution" can be produced.

During the incident in May firefighters had to blast the bridge with their hoses to cool down the structure, even bringing in a historic museum-owned firefighting boat to cool it from below.

In March, the Brunel Way flyover was shut in both directions when it became stuck open during routine maintenance, with staff eventually having to shut it by hand.

An update on problems with Plimsoll Bridge and other bridges in Bristol will be given to councillors at a meeting of the harbour committee on 15 September.

The report says procedures around the bridge "have had to be adapted" until an "engineering solution" can be produced.

"This includes limiting operations when temperature is at ≥30°C to protect infrastructure, only resuming once temperatures reduce and stabilise," the report adds, explaining that mariners will be notified in advance of any anticipated issues.

"This approach ensures safe operation of an ageing asset under extreme weather conditions", it adds.

Richard Sandwell, chair and treasurer of The Matthew told the BBC he was worried that the opening ban would hit sailors next summer.

The historic ship has been a fixture of Bristol's harbour since 1997, regularly running trips along the Avon Gorge which are a "major source of revenue".

"Given our experience this year with the number of times we've gone over 30C, if that happens and we can't open during next season that will significantly curtail our ability to do gorge cruises," Sandwell said.

"We've had situations where the bridge has failed to function when we've actually had trips underway", he added.

"With a full set of passengers on board and the bridge failing, which it has done this year on occasion, it also gives us a bad reputation because we are blamed, not the council."

The BBC has approached Bristol City Council for a comment.

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