Mayor works will restore a historic railway tunnel that residents say has fallen into a state of decay.
Scaffolding is due to go up on the Box Tunnel Portal, which is part of the busy Bristol Temple Meads to London Line, in the autumn of 2026.
This will allow Network Rail to perform detailed pre-construction investigations before fixing the vegetation-damaged site.
A review of the stonework comes after a resident expressed concern over visible damage to the building.
Varian Tye, a Box resident who shared his concerns about the damage to the portal with this paper, said he had been saddened to see the condition of the listed building.
Mr Tye believes the damage to the building has been caused by overgrowing plants, and he is now worried that damage is spreading across the portal.
He said: “I am concerned with the condition of Box Tunnel Portal as a part of its attractive stone balustrade is missing.
“This appears to have occurred because of a root to a bush, embedded in the stonework just below the balustrade, which has caused movement in the above area. The other day with the leaves now falling off trees and bushes I noted that a crack has regrettably also started to develop on the side elevation of the Grade II * listed building.”
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“It saddens me that such an important example of the railway history of this country, when the country is celebrating 200 years of the Railway under Railway 200, is in such poor condition.”
Mr Tye has also expressed concern about the practical dangers posed by a damaged building overhanging a busy line. He said: “The building is not only listed Grade II* but is located above the busy main railway line between Bristol and London.”
Responding to concerns over the portal's condition, Network Rail has said major design works are being carried out alongside monthly inspections. Investigations on the site are expected to begin in the autumn.
A spokesperson for Network Rail said: “Box Tunnel is a sensitive historic structure that requires carefully planned interventions to ensure that all remediation works are both effective and sympathetic to its fabric.
"Major design works are underway to address damage caused by vegetation. Detailed pre-construction investigations are scheduled to start in Autumn 2026 following installation of a suitable access scaffold.
"In the meantime, we are carrying out inspections every month using advanced 3D laser-scanning technology to monitor for structural movement, emerging defects, and any new signs of distress to the structure.
"In the years to follow, we will implement a tailored vegetation-management strategy for this structure and others of similar construction, ensuring long-term resilience and safe operation of the railway.”
A spokesperson for Historic England, to whom Mr Tye wrote with his concerns, said: “We are in contact with Network Rail about this site and understand that there are plans to erect scaffolding at the west portal of Box Tunnel in early 2026 to better understand the scope of repair works needed.”
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