A pedestrian bridge over an inlet of Bristol’s floating harbour collapsed on Saturday night, leaving its middle lifting section with sculpted counterweights partially submerged.
No one was injured when the collapse happened at around 11pm on Saturday because the bridge had been closed after a test lift malfunctioned on 13 August, leaving it in a partially raised position, BBC reported.
The 11m-long bridge over St Augustine’s Reach – known as Pero’s Bridge after a man enslaved in Bristol in the 18th century – was built in 1999 to a design by Irish sculptor Eilis O’Connell and Arup.
It became a fashion to attach padlocks, called “love locks”, to the bridge, but Bristol City Council removed them in summer 2025 because they added an extra load, estimated to be three tonnes.
Warnings issued
Engineers issued warnings about the bridge in a report commissioned by the council in December 2025, BBC reported.
It found significant rusting and deteriorating sealant between the wooden decking planks, allowing moisture to reach the steelwork.
The report warned of seized bearings, corrosion and flooding of mechanical equipment, highlighting the risk of the lifting section becoming stuck, as it did in August.
After Saturday’s collapse, the council said in a statement reported by the BBC that there was “no confirmed impact” on refurbishment plans that would see the bridge reopen in the spring of 2027.
The council has not responded to CM’s request for comment.
