Clifton Suspension Bridge faces potential closure to traffic unless its governing trust can secure £20m within the next 25 years.
The information emerged through the Trust's public consultation regarding proposals to increase bridge tolls from £1 to £1.50 per journey.
The structure is presently undergoing substantial refurbishment of its paintwork and illumination systems to prevent deterioration of its 160-year-old ironwork, which has necessitated intermittent closures throughout the past year.
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This maintenance cycle repeats every quarter of a century, and the trust has indicated that accounting for projected inflation, £20m must be reserved to fund the subsequent renovation programme scheduled for 2049/50.
The proposed charge increase would mark the first in 10 years, reports .
The Trust maintains these enhanced cash reserves are vital.
"If such essential interventions were not delivered over the longer term then this would eventually compromise the structural integrity of the bridge if corrosion is left untreated," the consultation report said.
"This would potentially lead to the bridge needing to be closed to traffic for safety reasons, with all the consequences this would have for transport in and around Bristol."
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Through raising tolls to enable routine upkeep, the Trust seeks to "preserve the structure as a working bridge for the long-term, rather than letting it decline into just being an historic monument," the report adds.
Approximately three million vehicles cross the bridge every year. The report underscores the risks of not regularly maintaining the bridge, which retains approximately 99% of its original ironwork, by drawing a comparison with London's Hammersmith Bridge of similar age.
Hammersmith Bridge has been shut to motor vehicles since 2020 for restoration work, currently estimated at £250m, as per the Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust's report.
Hammersmith is half the length of Clifton and stands at 1/20th of the height of the structure that dominates the Avon Gorge.
"This experience serves as an indication of what could in principle happen to the Clifton Suspension Bridge if necessary scheduled repairs and refurbishment are not carried out," the report stated.
To secure the future of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Trust proposes an immediate increase to £1.50 – set to take effect in January 2027 – followed by an annual rise tied to a construction inflation index.
Tolls contribute £2.6m to the Trust's current annual income of £3.1m.
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The Trust does not receive any public funding from national, regional or local governments.
Public consultation on the proposed hike will continue until Friday, 7 November.
Upon conclusion of the consultation, the bridge Trust will submit a formal application to the Department for Transport to raise the toll.