Avon & Somerset police said several roads were closed in Bristol city centre on Sunday after a damaged gas main forced emergency services to respond. Bristol Live reported the closure stretched from the St James Barton Roundabout through to Park Row, Park Street and Anchor Road, with motorists told to avoid the area.
St James Barton Roundabout
Police said a cordon was in place from the St James Barton Roundabout at the Bearpit past the Bristol Royal Infirmary up to Clifton Triangle and through the centre. The closure also hit roads out of the Bearpit, with Marlborough Street and The Haymarket shut.
Residents on Colston Street said they were being evacuated from their homes or rooms. One resident posted that emergency services asked everyone on the street to leave, and added: “Please grab any essentials you may need from your home or business as soon as possible. Take your phone, charger, any medication, some water, and a bank card or cash if you have it. Emergency services have indicated that this situation could take several hours to resolve.”
Colston Street evacuations
Another resident wrote: “Please evacuate promptly and follow any instructions given by the police or firefighters. If possible, check on your neighbours and make sure they are aware of the evacuation and have safely left the area,”
Avon Fire and Rescue Service was leading the response, with Wales and West Utilities also attending alongside police. The incident was not confined to one street: drivers coming into The Centre from Anchor Road found the road closed at the bottom of Park Street, while drivers heading towards Bristol city centre from the Clifton Triangle were stopped at the top of Park Row.
Bristol Bus Station delays
The disruption also spread to buses. First Bus routes in Bristol were affected, and services from Bristol Bus Station, including Megabus, Falcon and National Express, were delayed at the time of the report.
Traffic was building on the main roads into Bristol city centre even though it was Sunday. Long queues were reported on Bond Street, the bottom of the M32 and on Anchor Road from Hotwells, turning the closed roads into a wider gridlock problem for anyone trying to reach or leave the centre while crews dealt with the gas main.
