Clifton Suspension Bridge will be closed to the public on two separate occasions this week. Pedestrians and vehicles will have to seek alternative routes on the evenings of Thursday, August 11 and Saturday, August 13.
Veterans of Bristol's International Balloon Fiesta will know this bridge closure is an annual occurrence in line with the festival. Both closures are scheduled due to the Bristol Balloon Fiesta Night Glows, prohibiting the use of the bridge between 6pm and 12am on both days.
The festival - which takes place between August 11 and August 14 this year - traditionally hosts thousands of people at Ashton Court for the launch of dozens of hot air balloons. The previous two years have been unable to welcome visitors, however, due to the Covid pandemic.
Why does Clifton Suspension Bridge shut every year?
The 150-year-old bridge is still made up of many original components capable of meeting the demands of modern traffic, but large numbers of pedestrians walking across the bridge can cause issues. According to the Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust, people moving across the bridge in the same direction can cause a swaying motion amplifying the natural movement of the bridge.
"This is called resonance and could lead to a very powerful vibration or wobble, similar to that which closed the Millennium Bridge in London. This would be very uncomfortable or scary for pedestrians and could cause panic as people try to get off the bridge," the trust writes on its website.
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Thousands of people depart the festival site at the same time after the fireworks and Night Glow have finished on these evenings. Regulating the flow of people on the bridge would not be possible with such high numbers of people, as only 200 people would be permitted to walk across at one time, causing heavy congestion on the Ashton Court side as people exited the festival. The closure is also used to carry out essential maintenance and annual inspections.
What is the alternative route back into the city?
At these times on Thursday and Sunday, festival-goers must follow the route via Festival Way back to their final destinations. There are several pedestrian entrances and exits you can use on these evenings, the main one being by the UWE Bower Ashton campus.
There are two more pedestrian gates near the golf course that people can use to leave the festival site. Road users not attending the festival should follow the diversions in place.
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