A footbridge in the centre of Bristol may have further collapsed into water because of vibrations from loud music, the chair of the Harbour Committee has claimed.

Pero's Bridge, which could lift to allow boats under it, had already been left partially hanging due to a mechanical failure in the summer. But it toppled again into the harbour below on Halloween evening.

Liberal Democrat councillor Andrew Brown said engineers believe the collapse may gave been caused by "external vibrations disturbing the balance of the structure".

"These could have resulted from gusts of wind, nearby heavy road traffic or loud music being played through speakers on the shore," he said.

A Freedom of Information request revealed the council had been made aware of "severe corrosion" to parts of the bridge following an inspection in summer 2025. It had commissioned further assessments, which took place in December 2025.

In March, the Harbour Committee approved a £1.54m plan to temporarily remove the bridge for repairs. The work was due to begin in November.

In early October, further movement was detected in the bridge, and additional supports were put in place. These succeeded in holding the structure during Storm Austen.

But around 23.00 on Halloween, days before repair work was due to begin, the middle section fell into the water.

"We cannot be entirely sure of the exact cause of the latest movement," Brown said.

A crane has had to be brought from Cornwall to remove the bridge and take it to a nearby dry dock to be fixed, with work expected to start within the next two weeks.

In the meantime, four large floating rubber fenders, measuring 3m (10ft) in diameter, are going to be put in place to help float and stabilise the collapsed structure in preparation for removal.

The council says the exact cost of the repair won't be known until the bridge has been moved and further inspections can take place.

It has rejected the idea of putting in a temporary replacement bridge, saying this would restrict access to ferries and other boats, as well as adding "significant cost" to the project.

Labour, who ran the council until 2024, have called on the authority to be "transparent and accountable".

Labour councillor Tim Rippington said: "The public should have the opportunity to question decision-makers about the state of the bridge, the plans and timescales for its repair, and how the council can ensure this will not happen to other bridges."

But Brown said the bridge was a victim of "decades of underinvestment" in the harbour.

"The previous administration ignored warnings on the potential impact of 'love-locks' on Pero's Bridge," he said, referring to a number of padlocks that were attached to the bridge. This added three tonnes to the weight of the structure.

"We inherited a situation where the bridge could not be raised, restricting harbour operations. We even had to ask the police not to ride their horses over it.

"We are committed to continuing annual investment in harbour improvements", he added, "but addressing this legacy of underinvestment will take time."

The council says the bridge should be open again by summer 2027.

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