Cleveland Bridge 18-Tonne Limit Could Last to May 2028

The 18-tonne weight limit on Cleveland Bridge is set to stay in place for up to another 18 months. That would take it to the middle of May 2028.

Bath and North East Somerset Council published a notice on Thursday saying it intends to make a new temporary order from Monday 16 November 2026. It will last “for a period of 18 months or until the repairs to the bridge have been completed, if sooner”. The notice gives the reason as “necessary maintenance works being carried out to Cleveland Bridge” (traffic notice THTTC4422, Bath Chronicle, 29 October 2026).

The current order runs out in mid-November. This is the first one to run for 18 months rather than 12.

What the new order does

It has two parts, both the same as the orders before it:

• No motor vehicles over 18 tonnes on Cleveland Bridge. The ban covers the A36 from its junction with St John’s Road, north-west across the bridge, to a point 70 metres short of the London Road junction.
• No heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes on 38 city centre streets. These include Milsom Street, George Street, Gay Street, Queen Square, Great Pulteney Street, Walcot Street, Manvers Street, Pierrepont Street, the High Street and Bridge Street. The aim is to stop lorries that cannot use the bridge cutting through the middle of Bath instead.

Lorries can still enter the 38 streets to load or unload, for building work, for refuse collection, for road and utility work, and for the emergency services. Royal Mail is also exempt.

On the bridge itself, the exemptions are narrower. Avon Fire and Rescue Service and National Highways’ gritters can cross. Most other exemptions, such as building or waste vehicles, need prior approval from a council officer.

The signed diversion for vehicles over 18 tonnes

The notice sets out the official route for anything over 18 tonnes that would have used the bridge. From the A36 Beckford Road it runs:

• along the A36 through Sydney Place, Darlington Street, Pulteney Road, Rossiter Road and Lower Bristol Road
• on to the A4 through Keynsham and the Keynsham bypass
• round the A4174 Avon Ring Road to junction 1 of the M32
• along the M4 from junction 19 to junction 18
• down the A46 to the A4 London Road

The same route applies in reverse. It is a long way round, which is why the order also closes the city centre to the heavier lorries.

How long the limit has been in place

The 2023 order is still on the council’s traffic order register, with the same reason and the same two schedules. When the council extended the limit last year, it said the limit applies to every vehicle, coaches included, and is enforced by ANPR camera. It said around 16,000 vehicles a day cross the bridge, and put the breach rate at 0.06 per cent (B&NES Council, 30 October 2025).

The new notice does not say what the repairs are or when they will start. We could not find a council statement on a permanent fix, and will update this story when one is published.

What it means for you

• In a car, van or small lorry: nothing changes. The limit is 18 tonnes, so private cars and ordinary vans are well under it.
• Coach and HGV operators: plan on the limit staying until at least spring 2028. Coaches are included, and the limit is enforced by camera.
• Businesses on the 38 streets: deliveries by lorries over 7.5 tonnes are still allowed when they are loading or unloading at your premises.
• Residents of Bathwick and Larkhall: expect the same traffic pattern you have now, with the heaviest vehicles still kept off the bridge.

Other closures across the district this week, including the A36 Beckford Road lane closure a short way south of the bridge, are on our Bath roadworks and travel page.