Historic trail to be reconnected four years after storm damage destroyed bridge

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

A bridge damaged in storms cutting off access to part of a historic trail is to be replaced.

Wrexham County Borough Council has published a tender seeking contractors to restore access to the public right of way near Wilderness Mill Farm.

The old bridge once connected footpath LLA15, which runs from Llay, to Footpath GWE21 across the River Alyn. Together they formed part of the 61-mile Wat’s Dyke Way Heritage Trail.

The trail roughly follows the earthwork dug out by the Saxons to mark the border between Mercia and Cymru

But the bridge suffered a partial collapse of its arch and parapet during the triple blow of storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin in February 2022.

As a result walkers were no longer able to follow the trail across the river and through Wrexham.

Now, four years after the crossing was severed, Wrexham County Borough Council has published a tender to replace the bridge with a new structure.

It is seeking a contractor to supply and install a 20 metre long, two metre wide steel bridge with accessible exit ramps with lockable gates.

Among the specifications are that it can carry not only pedestrians but also cattle and a quadbike, allowing use by the neighbouring farm.

Work on the project is scheduled to begin on April 1 this year and be completed no later than September 1. Applications for the tender close on January 30.