Plans for a “complex and ambitious” footpath behind Temple Meads have left Bristol City Council facing a staggering cost of £24,000 per metre – amounting to an eye-watering £10 million total. The proposed Harbour Walkway aims to connect the new University of Bristol campus with the ferry stop behind the train station.
Bristol Live readers are outraged that costs for the 400-metre walkway have skyrocketed to an estimated £9.7 million, far exceeding original budgets and timelines. The Liberal Democrats have lambasted what they see as an “incredible waste of public money” during the tenure of former Labour mayor Marvin Rees.
In retaliation, Labour called out the Liberal Democrats to ‘get a grip’ concerning overspends associated with the broader Temple Quarter regeneration project. While some groundwork is visible, the completion of the footpath is not yet in sight. The council bears the responsibility for its construction, tied to the terms of the university campus site sale.
Labour has responded by praising the broader regeneration efforts around the station area, which will include the construction of thousands of new homes—a project approved during the previous mayor’s administration. A landslip along the riverbank has been cited as a significant factor behind the unexpected surge in costs.
Commenter Prims says: “Students using the path at night together with cyclists do not make for a safe passage or walkway. How is the maintenance of this walkway going to be funded? Who is paying for the lighting and inevitable ongoing repairs? Methinks that there will need to be a weight restriction to make using this walkway safe plus an abundance of lifebuoys placed every few meters along the path. We are paying for this, we don’t want it. A complete and utter waste of money and it won’t work in the long term. How much did the Beacon cost?”
Junius1 writes: “It seems curious that the University has been allowed to opt out of responsibility for the costs of this walkway since it falls on their patch in the Temple Quarter Development. Even if part of this £9.7 million cost for the walkway is covered by government or WECA funding, it is a gratuitous waste of taxpayers’ money. It is another example of BCCs very poor handling of contracts of which, unfortunately, there are many.”
Pad55 replies: “Bristol is a mess now due to numerous blocks of boring tower blocks full of students. The people of Bristol have been let down.”
Berklicker agrees: “The cost of walking crisis continues. The Temple Circus hasn’t been finished after more than 5 years and ‘georgehenge’ still stands as a monument to the continued failures this city has come to know and love.”
Beakst adds: “The blue bridge to nowhere cost us £9m, if the plug hadn’t been pulled on the arena we’d all be using that bridge by now. The University should foot the bill for the walkway.”
Jbbb53 thinks: “Meanwhile we are being told our services are being cut further with monthly bin collections and another 5% rise on council tax come April. You can guarantee that the 10,000 homes being built in Temple Mead will all be student apartments as this council have already said they are pulling out of all housing agreements and not building any more council homes and are in fact looking to sell all that they have left.”
BS8GR8 replies: “So much misinformation in this statement. BCC have not asked the Government to increase council tax by more than 5% despite the horrendous state of the council finances left behind by Labour and 14 years of Tory cut backs ( 40% in real terms) BCC are not planning on selling off all council houses there are a handful which will cost more to repair than they are “worth”, with the funds used to help repair existing homes. The Temple Meads development will be a mix of homes for sale, including a high percentage of “affordable” housing and student accommodation given the nearby UOB expansion. At least purpose built student accommodation should take some pressure off the private rental sector.”
Jonty2 agrees: “It’s taken rather too long, but once completed will open up the area.”
How do you feel about the new footpath? Is it money well spent? Have your say in our comments section.