Editing Clifton Suspension Bridge (section)

===Operation===
[[File:Clifton.bridge.arp.750pix.jpg|alt=Suspension bridge between two brick built towers, over a wooded gorge, showing mud and water at the bottom. In the distance are hills.|thumb|left|View from the [[Observatory, Bristol|observatory]] on [[Clifton Down]]]]
On 8 December 1864, the bridge was lit by a combination of four electric [[arc lamps]], [[magnesium]] [[flares]] and [[limelight]]s for its ceremonial opening ceremony.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/bha048/page/n3/mode/2up Peter G. Lamb, ''Electricity in Bristol 1863-1948'' (Bristol Historical Association pamphlets, no. 48, 1981), p. 1]</ref> This was the earliest use of external electric lighting in Bristol. However, the lighting levels were inconsistent and the magnesium lamps were blown out by the wind.{{sfn|Christopher|2013|p=11}} The custom of lighting the bridge has continued with more recent events, although later thousands of electric light bulbs were attached to the bridge instead of flares.{{sfn|McIlwain|1996|pp=22–25}}

{{anchor|Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1952|Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1980|Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1986}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1952
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to constitute the Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust to incorporate the Trust and to make provision for the vesting in the Trustees of the property of the existing Trustees and for the constitution and proceedings of the Trustees to transfer to the Trustees the undertaking of the Clifton Suspension Bridge Company and to provide for the winding up and dissolution of that company to confer powers on the Trustees in relation to the said bridge and to the charging of tolls to make provision regarding the finances of the said trust to repeal the Acts relating to the Trustees and to the company and for other purposes.
| year                  = 1952
| citation              = [[15 & 16 Geo. 6 & 1 Eliz. 2]]. c. xli
| introduced_commons    =
| introduced_lords      =
| territorial_extent    =
| royal_assent          = 1 August 1952
| commencement          =
| expiry_date           =
| repeal_date           =
| amends                =
| replaces              = {{ubli|Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1830|Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1836|Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1841|Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1845|Clifton Suspension Bridge 1848|Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1861|Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1888}}
| amendments            =
| repealing_legislation =
| related_legislation   =
| status                =
| legislation_history   =
| theyworkforyou        =
| millbankhansard       =
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo6and1Eliz2/15-16/41/pdfs/ukla_19520041_en.pdf
| revised_text          =
| use_new_UK-LEG        =
| UK-LEG_title          =
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1980
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to alter the constitution of the Trustees of the Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust; to make provision as to the investment of moneys of the Trust and for the repeal and amendment of certain provisions of the Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1952; and for other purposes.
| year                  = 1980
| citation              = [[List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1980|1980]] c. xxii
| introduced_commons    =
| introduced_lords      =
| territorial_extent    =
| royal_assent          = 17 July 1980
| commencement          =
| expiry_date           =
| repeal_date           =
| amends                =
| replaces              =
| amendments            =
| repealing_legislation =
| related_legislation   =
| status                =
| legislation_history   =
| theyworkforyou        =
| millbankhansard       =
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/1980/22/pdfs/ukla_19800022_en.pdf
| revised_text          =
| use_new_UK-LEG        =
| UK-LEG_title          =
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Clifton Suspension Bridge Act 1986
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to authorise the Trustees of the Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust to provide or assist in the provision of a museum in the vicinity of the said bridge; and for other purposes.
| year                  = 1986
| citation              = [[List of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1986|1986]] c. xiv
| introduced_commons    =
| introduced_lords      =
| territorial_extent    =
| royal_assent          = 8 July 1986
| commencement          =
| expiry_date           =
| repeal_date           =
| amends                =
| replaces              =
| amendments            =
| repealing_legislation =
| related_legislation   =
| status                =
| legislation_history   =
| theyworkforyou        =
| millbankhansard       =
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/1986/14/pdfs/ukla_19860014_en.pdf
| revised_text          =
| use_new_UK-LEG        =
| UK-LEG_title          =
| collapsed             = yes
}}
In 1860 the Clifton Bridge Company was set up to oversee the final stages of completion and manage the operation of the bridge. They paid £50 each year to the trustees who gradually purchased the shares in the company. The revenues from tolls were minimal initially as there was not much traffic; however, this increased after 1920 with greater car ownership. In 1949 the trustees purchased all the outstanding shares and debentures.{{sfn|Andrews|Pascoe|2008|p=42}} The bridge is managed by a charitable trust, originally formed by the [[Society of Merchant Venturers]] following Vick's bequest.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/a4162248-24eb-31f9-8613-aa1f172c07d1?component=79646d2b-ed3f-308d-8fb3-8058feee0cae|title=Brunel Collection: Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust (1830&nbsp;– present) Papers|access-date=7 March 2018}}</ref> The trust was authorised to manage the bridge and collect tolls by acts of Parliament in 1952, 1980 and 1986.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://opencharities.org/charities/205658 |title=Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust |publisher=Open Charities |access-date=10 January 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012132249/http://opencharities.org/charities/205658 |archive-date=12 October 2014 }}</ref> A [[Toll bridge|toll]] is levied on vehicles,<ref name="tollrise">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-17028359 |title=Clifton Suspension Bridge toll to rise to £1 |publisher=BBC News|date=14 February 2012 |access-date=9 March 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217045227/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-17028359 |archive-date=17 February 2012 }}</ref> but the £0.05 toll that the act allows for cyclists or pedestrians is not collected.<ref>{{cite web|title=How much is the toll to cross the Bridge? |url=http://www.cliftonbridge.org.uk/faqs/toll |publisher=Clifton Suspension Bridge |access-date=3 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114005257/http://www.cliftonbridge.org.uk/faqs/toll |archive-date=14 November 2011 }}</ref>[[File:Clifton Suspension Bridge in 1954.jpg|thumb|The bridge in 1954, detailing the little traffic that passed across it at that time]]Human toll collectors were replaced by automated machines in 1975. The tolls are used to pay for the upkeep of the bridge, including the strengthening of the chain anchor points, which was done in 1925 and 1939, and regular painting and maintenance, which is carried out from a motorised cradle slung beneath the deck.{{sfn|McIlwain|1996|p=24-25}} By 2008 over 4 million vehicles crossed the bridge each year.{{sfn|Andrews|Pascoe|2008|p=42}}
In February 2012, the bridge trustees applied to the [[Department for Transport]] to increase the toll to £1,<ref name=tollrise/> subsequently implemented on 24 April 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Clifton Suspension Bridge toll to rise from 50p to £1 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-26958520 |publisher=BBC News|date=9 April 2014 |access-date=9 November 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112045845/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-26958520 |archive-date=12 November 2014 }}</ref>

On 1 April 1979, the first modern [[Bungee jumping|bungee jumps]] were made from the bridge by members of the [[University of Oxford]] [[Dangerous Sports Club]].<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Aerial Extreme Sports |year=2008 |url=http://library.thinkquest.org/C0123122/historybungee.htm |title=History of Bungee |access-date=5 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728105941/http://library.thinkquest.org/C0123122/historybungee.htm |archive-date=28 July 2011 }}</ref> In 2003 and 2004, the weight of crowds travelling to and from the [[Ashton Court Festival]] and [[Bristol International Balloon Fiesta]] put such great strain on the bridge that it was decided to close the bridge to all motor traffic and pedestrians during the events. The closure of the bridge for major annual events has continued each year since then.<ref>{{cite news | title=Suspension bridge shut for events | publisher=BBC News| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/4633715.stm | access-date=25 March 2007 | date=29 June 2005}}</ref>

[[File:CliftonSupensionLit.jpg|thumb|The bridge illuminated; these lights have since been replaced with [[LED]]s]]

On 26 November 2003, the last [[Concorde]] flight (Concorde 216) flew over the bridge before landing at [[Bristol Filton Airport|Filton Aerodrome]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Last Flight Home |url=http://www.avcollect.com/art_sb_concorde5.html |publisher=Aviation Art |access-date=3 July 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415104203/http://www.avcollect.com/art_sb_concorde5.html |archive-date=15 April 2012 }}</ref> In April 2006, the bridge was the centrepiece of the Brunel 200 weekend, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. At the climax of the celebration a [[fireworks|firework display]] was launched from the bridge.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brunel 200 Fireworks |work=BBC Bristol |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/image_galleries/brunel_fireworks_april_gallery.shtml |access-date=25 March 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060421043332/http://www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/image_galleries/brunel_fireworks_april_gallery.shtml |archive-date=21 April 2006 }}</ref> The celebrations also saw the activation of an [[LED]]-based lighting array to illuminate the bridge.<ref>{{cite web|title=LEDs help to light Clifton Suspension Bridge |url=http://www.ledsmagazine.com/features/3/4/3 |work=LEDs magazine |access-date=17 May 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824024435/http://www.ledsmagazine.com/features/3/4/3 |archive-date=24 August 2007 }}</ref>

On 4 April 2009, the bridge was shut for one night to allow a crack in one of the support hangers to be repaired.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/7983615.stm |title=Suspension bridge closed by fault |date=4 April 2009 |publisher=BBC |access-date=4 April 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405204104/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/7983615.stm |archive-date= 5 April 2009 }}</ref> On 23 May 2012, the London 2012 [[2012 Summer Olympics torch relay|Olympic Torch relay]] crossed over the bridge, where two of the torchbearers came together in a "kiss" to exchange the flame in the middle of Brunel's iconic landmark.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18172940 |title=Fireworks mark Olympic torch's suspension bridge crossing |date=23 April 2012 |publisher=BBC |access-date=23 April 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523121047/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18172940 |archive-date=23 May 2012 }}</ref> The bridge carries four million vehicles per year,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/phy03.sci.phys.mfw.bbsuspension/clifton-suspension-bridge/ |title=Clifton Suspension Bridge |publisher=PBS LearningMedia |access-date=8 April 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150415201435/http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/phy03.sci.phys.mfw.bbsuspension/clifton-suspension-bridge/ |archive-date=15 April 2015 }}</ref> along part of the B3129 road.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bristol to Portishead Loop Cycle Route |url=http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Bristol_to_Portishead_Loop-Cycle-Route-5056.html |publisher=Cycle Route |access-date=8 March 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128071831/http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Bristol_to_Portishead_Loop-Cycle-Route-5056.html |archive-date=28 January 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=B3129 |url=http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title=B3129 |publisher=SABRE |access-date=8 March 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013222211/http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title=B3129 |archive-date=13 October 2012 }}</ref> The bridge is a Grade I [[listed building]].<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Clifton Suspension Bridge |num=1205734 |access-date=9 May 2006 }}</ref>

In November 2011 it was announced that a new visitor centre, costing nearly £2 million, was to be built at the Leigh Woods end of the bridge to replace the temporary building currently being used. The new facilities were scheduled to be completed before the 150th anniversary of the opening, which was celebrated on 8 December 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=New heritage and learning centre |url=http://www.cliftonbridge.org.uk/news/new-heritage-and-learning-centre-clifton-suspension-bridge-will-mark-150th-anniversary-official |publisher=Clifton Suspension Bridge |access-date=8 November 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403180508/http://www.cliftonbridge.org.uk/news/new-heritage-and-learning-centre-clifton-suspension-bridge-will-mark-150th-anniversary-official |archive-date= 3 April 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=New Clifton Suspension Bridge visitor centre planned |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-15634015 |access-date=8 November 2011 |publisher=BBC |date=8 November 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111054545/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-15634015 |archive-date=11 November 2011 }}</ref> In December 2012 it was announced that the bridge had received £595,000 of funding from the [[Heritage Lottery Fund]] to improve the visitor centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/pound-1-3m-lottery-windfall-enhance-finest/story-17635298-detail/story.html |title=£1.3m lottery windfall to enhance two of our finest Victorian landmarks |publisher=This is Bristol |access-date=3 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121223074202/http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/pound-1-3m-lottery-windfall-enhance-finest/story-17635298-detail/story.html |archive-date=23 December 2012 }}</ref>