Key Highlights
- The road in central Bristol will close for urgent repair works.
- Nearly the whole length of Union Street will be shut between 8am and 5pm on Tuesday, May 26.
- A large number of bus services will be affected by the closure.
- Diversions have been planned to manage traffic during the road works.
Union Street Closure: Bristol’s Traffic Snarl
Bristol City Council is stepping up its urban management game, but not without a few bumps. On Tuesday, May 26, a significant portion of Union Street will be off-limits for repairs.
Nearly the entire stretch from Castle Park to St James’ Park, along the western edge of Broadmead, will face this temporary shutdown between 8am and 5pm. A statement on their website confirms: “We need to temporarily close Union Street, between its junctions with Wine Street and Broadmead, for urgent patch repairs on Tuesday 26 May from 8am to 5pm.”
Impact on Local Transport
This is no small matter. The closure will impact westbound traffic, which will be diverted via a complex route: The Pithay, All Saints Street, Nelson Street, Broadmead and Union Street. Eastbound drivers are in for an equally convoluted journey – Newgate, Broad Weir, Lower Castle Street, Castle Street, north on the A4044, Bond street, The Haymarket, Bridewell Street, Nelson street, Broadmead, and then onto Union street.
The Nelson Street/Broadmead bus gate will be switched off to allow cars to travel along the diversion route. This means a series of local bus services will also suffer: Service 1,2,2a and 72 towards Park Street will need to reroute via Newgate, Broad Weir, Lower Castle Street to Old Market Roundabout before resuming their journey on Bond Street.
Service 3,4,8 from St Augustine’s Parade will take a different route: continuing along Baldwin Street to Christmas Street and Nelson Street, ending at Union Street (part unaffected) with Service 3 & 4 terminating at the bus stop B12 while Service 8 resumes its normal route.
Wider Urban Planning
This road work is part of a broader plan for the area. Bristol City Council is preparing a business case for an overhaul around Broadmead, which would introduce more pedestrian areas and new cycle lanes. However, this project isn’t due to start until next year.
So, if you’re in or near Bristol on Tuesday, be prepared for a bit of a detour. Patience is key as these essential repairs take place.
Diversions and Your Route
The Bristol City Council website advises that diversions will be in place to manage traffic during the road works. “Thank you for your patience while we carry out these essential repairs.” So, it’s best to plan ahead and allow extra time if you need to travel through Union Street.
