Bristol drivers face 18 weeks of closure on A4 Portway

The A4 Portway has served as a primary arterial route through Bristol for a century, but the road now faces a period of major construction that will alter daily travel patterns for thousands of commuters.

Bristol City Council begins work on Monday, November 2, on the stretch of the A4 Portway located between Bridge Valley Road and Hotwell Road. This phase of the project excludes the Mardyke Wharf Car Park opposite the Bristol Marina. The works are scheduled to continue for approximately 18 weeks.

The upgrade involves resurfacing the road, replacing pavements and kerbs, and improving drainage and street lighting. New road markings will be added overnight during the spring to minimize daytime traffic impact. The council states that the total project budget exceeds £23 million. The goal is to reduce congestion, improve bus reliability, and encourage walking, wheeling, and cycling along the route from the M5 at Avonmouth to Hotwell Road.

Lane closures will require drivers to follow signed diversions. Traffic disruptions may affect Granby Hill, Cabot Way, Bennett Way, Cumberland Basin Road, Faraday Road, Bristol Gate, Hope Chapel Hill, Merchant’s Road, Christina Terrace, Clifton Vale, Ambra Vale, and Rownham Mead. Parking restrictions will be implemented on a rolling basis. Buses will not be diverted, though bus lanes may occasionally close. Pedestrians and cyclists must follow temporary signed routes.

The project is set to finish in the summer of 2027. However, local representatives have raised concerns about the cost relative to the road's historical construction price. Councillor Jonathan Hucker, a Conservative for Stockwood, addressed the council on September 29 regarding the expense. He noted that the Portway was the world’s most expensive road when it opened in 1926. The original construction cost was £800,000, which he calculated as equivalent to £42 million in today’s money.

Hucker questioned the financial scale of the current redevelopment. He stated, “The Portway is costing a colossal amount of money.” He added that if the road was the most expensive in the world in 1926, he suspected it would feature the world’s most expensive bus lanes upon completion of the current project.