Clifton Suspension Bridge reopens after safety scare

Clifton Suspension Bridge has been reopened after being shut due to safety fears over the weekend.

The bridge was closed after a member of the public walking across the bridge noticed one of the 162 vertical wrought iron rods had cracked.

The fault, in a metre-high rod in the middle of the bridge on the north or up-stream side, was discovered at about 4pm on Saturday, prompting the bridge staff to call the police to close off the approach roads.

The road remained shut to pedestrians and traffic until midnight, when the footpath on the Southern side was reopened.

Engineers from the local office of international consultants Flint and Neill worked overnight with the bridge staff.

Shortly after 2pm on Sunday one lane of the bridge was reopened to traffic with temporary traffics lights in operation.