It also has a separate footpath and cycleway which connects the B4054 near Avonmouth station with the Royal Portbury Dock and the village of Pill.

In 1995–2000, it was widened to four lanes each way, with the result that the hard shoulders are no longer of full width.

This gave the bridge steep gradients that cause heavy vehicles to slow down, resulting in congestion during rush hour and the summer tourist season: traffic can back up both on the bridge and on the approaches.

However, the surfacing was carried out by Stirling Lloyd's partners Aeschlimann AG from Switzerland using its own workforce and importing all the plant used.

A new type of asphalt called Gussasphalt was used on the bridge deck, The project was managed by Stirling Lloyd's Darren Holmes.