World’s formerly ‘most expensive’ road becomes most costly bus lane

The world’s most expensive road is set to become the ‘world’s most expensive bus lane.’

The Portway in Bristol was officially the costliest ever built when it opened in 1926, with a price of £800,000 to construct – around £42,000,000 in today’s money.

More than £23,000,000 has now been committed to upgrade the road through the Avon Gorge from Hotwells to Avonmouth, with works ongoing.

This includes 24-hour bus lanes, cutting speed limits, better junctions, road resurfacing, and improved shared paths for pedestrians and cyclists.

One councillor said the spiralling costs will now see it take a new title of the ‘world’s most expensive bus lane.’

A report to Bristol City Council’s audit committee said the Portway was ninth in the authority’s largest projects in terms of money to be spent.

Tory councillor Jonathan Hucker said: ‘I would be interested to see how that compares with the Portway project today.

‘When it was the world’s most expensive road then, I suspect it will have the world’s most expensive bus lanes when the project is finished.’

Councillors on the transport & connectivity committee agreed to increase the scheme’s budget by £1.35m from £21.7m to £23.1m in February because of rising costs.

The money comes from the government and is distributed by WECA.

Bristol Conservatives have previously blasted the project as an ‘appalling waste of public money’.

They also argued it would make it harder for vehicles to get around the city.

Labour backed the road changes when it ran the council, which have since been embraced by the Green-led administration.

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