Bridge used by 20,000 drivers a day to be demolished on Christmas Day
A MAJOR bridge used by around 20,000 drivers every day is set to be demolished on Christmas Day.
The Winterstoke Road Bridge in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, was built during the Second World War to serve aircraft factories and now sits in the heart of the town’s suburbs.
The 80-year-old structure crosses the busy Exeter to Bristol railway line and has reached the end of its life.
It is already closed for 18 months while a replacement is constructed.
North Somerset Council has confirmed the demolition will take place on December 25 – the only day of the year when no trains run in the UK, allowing work to be carried out without disrupting rail services.
Council leader Mike Bell said: “Winterstoke Road Bridge has been a mainstay throughout the lives of Weston residents, first in its integral role in our aviation history, then later serving homes and businesses across the area.
“In recent years the bridge has enabled around 20,000 journeys each day, testament to the part it plays in our local transport network.
“It is a crucial route, which is why it’s important that the ageing bridge is replaced with one built to last for the next 120 years.
Replacing Winterstoke Road Bridge represents a major long-term investment in local infrastructure, helping to protect and increase road capacity while strengthening the network for future growth.
The new bridge will also encourage walking and cycling and remove existing weight limits for heavier vehicles like buses.
The bridge’s wartime origins date back to 1940 when the RAF requisitioned Weston Airfield as the Battle of Britain raged overhead.
After Winston Churchill created the Ministry of Aircraft Production, Oldmixon became one of three local sites chosen to expand aircraft manufacturing.
In 1941, the first Bristol Beaufighter rolled out of the factory and the Winterstoke Road Bridge was built so workers could reach the site more quickly.
After the war, the bridge opened to the public as the area switched from building fighter planes to producing prefabricated aluminium homes to help tackle the housing shortage.
Aviation remained a major part of the local economy for many years, including aircraft maintenance and Westland Helicopters.
North Somerset Heritage Champion John Crockford-Hawley said:
“The original Winterstoke Road Bridge is a monument to the long-standing pride that our area has in local aviation history, as well as our collective appreciation for the role that the RAF has played.
“Though we must now say goodbye to the historic structure and make way for a new bridge, the wartime stories of Winterstoke Road, the factories and the iconic Bristol Beaufighter will live on in the pages of our rich local history.”
The bridge closed to traffic in November and is not expected to reopen until 2027.
A temporary footbridge has been installed for pedestrians and cyclists, but drivers must follow a diversion via Flowerdown Bridge.
North Somerset Council has warned that the Airport and Runway roundabouts will be “extra busy” during the works.
The new 60-metre bridge will weigh more than 2,000 tonnes and will be supported by 24 deep steel-cased concrete piles drilled 35 metres into stable mudstone to stop it sinking into Somerset’s soft ground.
Due to tight space on site, contractors can only complete one pile every other day.
Utility cables and gas and water mains beneath the bridge will be diverted first. The replacement structure will then be built off site in sections and lifted into place by crane.