The faulty fountains in the Centre of Bristol have been fenced off as work starts to remove them. Temporary Heras fences are cordoning off a large area in between Broad Quay and St Augustine’s Parade.
Bristol City Council was asked to comment on the latest schedule for how long the works will last. A sign on the fence says contractors are due to finish working on the promenade on May 17, between the statue of Neptune and the Cascade Steps.
Plans to remove the fountains were revealed last September, and include making more space for pedestrians and the street food market. Trees lining the area have been chopped down, as they grew too large for the containers and posed a hazard to buses and people walking past.
In September Liberal Democrat Andrew Brown, chair of the economy and skills policy committee, said: “This is a busy area in the city and one that has many uses, from the food stalls and events through to thousands of passing pedestrians and cyclists.
“While the fountains were a good idea in principle, they reduce the available space and have not worked properly for many years because of limited water storage capacity underground. By creating a flat surface across this whole area, we can give more room for events and people travelling through the Centre, which will make the area work better and take much of the pressure off all these competing needs.”
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The fountains will be replaced with one surface including a new large artwork. Platforms will be built over three sets of steps alongside Broad Quay, to be used for street food stalls. The five London plane trees will be replaced with smaller trees, that blossom with pink flowers in spring.
In the longer term, the council will explore changing the colour of the cycle path that runs alongside the fountains. This would make it clearer that this path is for people cycling, and to reduce conflict with pedestrians, as currently the cycle path is barely discernible.