Historic Weston bridge demolished ahead of £11m replacement

A historic 85-year-old bridge which played a big role in a town’s World War Two efforts has been demolished.

Winterstoke Road Bridge, a key transport link through Weston-super-Mare, closed to traffic in November due to its age and condition, and was officially demolished and removed over Christmas.

North Somerset Council said the demolition of the bridge, which crossed a railway line between Bristol and Taunton, mostly took place when trains were not running on Christmas Day, and had paved the way for “a stronger and more reliable bridge that will ensure access on Winterstoke Road the next 120 years”.

An £11m replacement bridge is due to open in spring 2027.

The bridge was built in 1941 to provide access to the RAF’s aeroplane production factory in Oldmixon, and, at the time of its closure, was used by about 20,000 vehicles a day.

Demolition works included the complete removal of the structure, in addition to the levelling of its abutments and connecting road.

All debris was cleared from the tracks to allow trains to safely run after Boxing Day.

Contractors Octavius Infrastructure is due to begin several months of piling and foundation works in the coming weeks for the replacement bridge.

Mike Bell, leader of North Somerset Council, thanked residents for their patience during the demolition.

“In replacing Winterstoke Road Bridge, we’re making a key, long-term investment into local infrastructure – an investment that will maintain and expand current road capacity while also building the resilience and reliability needed to prepare for future growth,” he said.

A temporary footbridge was in place over the railway line and would be open throughout the construction of the new bridge, project bosses said.