[4] The port of Bristol lies close to the mouth of the River Avon which formed the historic boundary between Gloucestershire and Somerset.

The commissioners, while recommending that Bristol should be "neither in the county of Gloucester nor of Somerset for any purpose whatsoever", did not extend the city's boundaries.

[6] The commission's timidity was attacked by the Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, who accused them of using the "crude method of the Procrustean bed".

[7] The newspaper went on to attack Charles Ritchie, the President of the Local Government Board, and the Conservative government: Everyone who considered the question on its merits was convinced of the justice of the demand for a Greater Bristol, but... the interests of the Tory party were put before every other consideration and we do not think there is any endeavour to conceal the fact.

One of these was a new Bristol and Bath Area which would have included a wide swathe of countryside surrounding the two cities, extending into Wiltshire and as far as Frome in Somerset.

[11] Following a change of government at the 1970 general election, a two-tier system of counties and districts was proposed instead of unitary authorities.

Cities and towns in Avon included (in approximate order of population) Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Yate, Clevedon, Portishead, Midsomer Norton & Radstock, Bradley Stoke, Nailsea, Yatton, Keynsham, Kingswood, Thornbury, Filton and Patchway.

Systems inertia means that the county continues to be included in the databases of large corporations as part of addresses in the area.

Though there is no longer a single council, the four unitary authorities still co-operate on many aspects of policy, such as the Joint Local Transport Plan.

Also, Avon County Council helped fund Sustrans' first cycleway, the Bristol and Bath Railway Path.

The Avon Green Belt has continued in place as a jointly agreed policy in the development plans of the successor local authorities.

As of 2024, a multi-operator unlimited travel daily or weekly bus ticket called AvonRider covering the former county area was still available, supported by local councils.