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Bristol's 'Cheesegrater' bridge to be resurfaced after cyclist safety petition

More than 600 people called for better grip on bridge - resurfacing gets under way with site meeting today

An award-winning bridge in Bristol which was last year condemned as unsafe for cyclists following a spate of accidents is being taken apart and resurfaced after more than 600 people signed a petition started by a local cyclist calling for action to be taken to remedy the problem.

The surface of the Meads Reach Bridge, nicknamed locally the Cheesegrater Bridge, is being spray-coated with polyurea to provide better grip than the previous metal surface, which proved particularly hazardous in the wet.

A petition was set up in October calling for safety to be improved after riders suffered injuries that resulted in them needing stitches and dental treatment when they fell while riding across the bridge.

Set up by Toby Bridgeman, the petition urged Bristol City Council to require management company GVA Facilities to make the bridge, which links Temple Meads Station with Temple Quay and is part of the National Cycle Network, safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

According to the Bristol Post, work to remedy the defect has been contracted to Eco South West, with a spokesperson for the company saying: "I'm pleased to update with positive news. We've recently been appointed to provide a coatings solution to Meads Reach Bridge.

"This will involve dismantling each section of the bridge deck and spray-applying polyurea, for a long-lasting anti-slip surface.

“We currently use polyurea on walkways and staircases in housing developments, on marine work areas and warehouse floors among many other applications where safety is paramount.

"Once completed, the bridge will be secure for pedestrians and cyclists, even in very wet conditions. We'll be pushing to get this done as soon as possible as I'm aware this has been a big issue amongst Bristol's cyclists."

The newspaper says that timings will be agreed at a site meeting today, with some preparatory works needed and the actual work to apply the coating taking seven days.

Local cyclist Mark Chitty told the Bristol Post: "That's amazing, I really thought they'd end up just adding barriers."

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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7 comments

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ecosw | 9 years ago
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Just to update on this story: We're due to start the coating works to Meads' Reach Bridge (AKA Cheesegrater) bridge on 13 April, with completion expected within 2 weeks. We're very happy with our anti-slip test results and look forward to making the bridge safer for cyclists and pedestrians. www.ecosw.co.uk

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Aileen | 9 years ago
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There were signs put up asking us to dismount (I assume to protect the council from any injured rider trying to sue) but their positioning just created an additional hazard. The wind then blew the signs down so we had an obstacle but no warning.  40

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Redvee | 9 years ago
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I walked across the bridge at the weekend and spotted a sign on the Temple Meads side.

http://instagram.com/p/y2zhpNkmty

What speed should a pedestrian slow down to?

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Username | 9 years ago
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Quote:

Local cyclist Mark Chitty told the Bristol Post: "That's amazing, I really thought they'd end up just adding barriers."

Surely a pair of "Cyclists Dismount" signs would have solved the problem

 3

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Bikeylikey replied to Username | 9 years ago
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Username wrote:
Quote:

Local cyclist Mark Chitty told the Bristol Post: "That's amazing, I really thought they'd end up just adding barriers."

Surely a pair of "Cyclists Dismount" signs would have solved the problem

 3

No it wouldn't. Like lots of other cyclists, I wear cleats which are almost impossible to walk in on anything remotely slippery. I use this bridge often and always feel very unsafe on it despite slowing right down.

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Goldfever4 replied to Bikeylikey | 9 years ago
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bikeylikey wrote:
Username wrote:
Quote:

Local cyclist Mark Chitty told the Bristol Post: "That's amazing, I really thought they'd end up just adding barriers."

(sarcasm)

Surely a pair of "Cyclists Dismount" signs would have solved the problem

 3

(/sarcasm)

No it wouldn't. Like lots of other cyclists, I wear cleats which are almost impossible to walk in on anything remotely slippery. I use this bridge often and always feel very unsafe on it despite slowing right down.

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skull-collector... | 9 years ago
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Last paragraph made ma chuckle.

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