End of the road for eyesore Destructor Bridge in Bath

“Some years ago the 'Slip' bridge at St Helens in Swansea was taken out of use. The span was lifted off in one piece and placed on the ground in a nearby park area. After refurbishment, it now forms part of a footpath/cyclepath route along the shoreline.

Surely something similar can be done with the Destructor bridge? With the bridge at ground level it has only to support its own weight, so limited structural repairs would be necessary, and the result would be the preservation of one more part of Bath's industrial city. Why do the various 'authorities' in Bath seem so lacking in initiative???”

“Latest news on the Destructor Bridge http://tinyurl.com/bn9xnu7”

“"Traffic on Lower Bristol Road is heavy so that Midland Road traffic from the bridge forms a long tailback which will become worse once the bridge and the road are widened......"

As a regaulr user of Midland Road, I will admit that there have been a few occasions when there has been a long wait to exit onto the LBR, but that is usually only when the LBR itself has a problem further east causing long-tail backs. Usually it is not bad and drivers on the LBR seem to be quite good about letting people out.

I do not see how widening Midland Road and the bridge will make the problem any worse. There will be traffic going north that does not at the moment, perhaps giving more problems at the junction with the UPPER Bristol Road, but I don't see why there will be more traffic heading south UNLESS of course they do not impose a weight/height limit on the new bridge.”

“The Destructor Bridge is on the Midland Road and does not have a natural intersection with Lower Bristol Road. Traffic on Lower Bristol Road is heavy so that Midland Road traffic from the bridge forms a long tailback which will become worse once the bridge and the road are widened. A round about is needed but there is no room for it. The Lower Bristol Road is pinched at the junction with Midland Road. There is no point to increase capacity because the pinch will reduce capacity to the point where no one will use it. In other words, a waste of money. Leave the bridge as is.”

“Actually, Pompeybelle, I would have expected nothing less from you !

I agree too with tomsjan - Midland Road is NOT a rat-run, but an essential part of the cross-river traffic system. Look at the number of people who ignore the 'No Entry' and come across it the wrong way. Without it we would merely add even more to the congestion on the Windsor Bridge and around Pinesgate.”

“Oh come on rip it down and be done with it – and while you're at it clean and tile the unkempt Roman Baths, swap stone and lead for glass and stainless, put a suspended ceiling in the Abbey to improve the carbon footprint of keeping the void heated, and bulldoze the Guildhall into Parade Gardens to create a bus and coach park, remove the unsightly step out of the River Avon at Poultney bridge, and widen that bridge for modern traffic – it will be progress!

Industrial heritage is just like other heritage once you lose it – it's too late to ever get it back!”

“@ Mr Nemo - Forgot to say - it probably won't surprise you to know that I did know about the other bridge! Again - it could be used imaginatively. Re-use is nearly always better than demolition. (I keep saying that but the council's planning committee seems to have stuffed its fingers in its collective ears - with one or two noble exceptions.)”

“They will probably replace it with some creation of tubed metal like the new bus station in the name of design.I think it's not the bridge that is ugly it's the surrounding area.”

“The gasometer that was supposed to be preserved, or at least demolished carefully and stored for rebuilding on elsewhere such as an industrial museum, because it was one of the oldest existing on the country and quite decorative, was demolished in haste in 2009 - no planning permission had been granted and even English Heritage were surprised at the haste, though they had not listed it. However, they had thought it should be recorded. Not only that, it was chopped up with a cutting torch, thus preventing any of this heritage nonsense.

I feel rather sad about it, as it was by far the most attractive of the gasometers, and Mr Pompeybelle had taken some gorgeous pictures of it at sunset. I admit, as I think I've said before, that even as a child, I have always rather liked gasometers so perhaps I am a bit biassed.”

“The gasometer isn't listed.”