New bridge to strengthen key route between the north and south of Wales
Plans to build a new bridge on a key route between the north and south of Wales which frequently floods have been given the green light by the Welsh Government.
The A487 trunk road runs from the north of Pembrokeshire to Caernarfon and is the busiest north-south road in Wales.
But the 19th century stone narrow Dyfi bridge outside Machynlleth floods so often at that a Facebook group has been set up to let people know whether it is open or closed.
The new development will be raised above the Dyfi valley floodplain and cross Afon Dyfi approximately 480 metres upstream of the existing bridge.
The scheme will also include a flood bund constructed to improve drainage and protect the Dyfi Eco Park near Machynlleth from river flooding.
Construction could begin this summer, and the aim is to complete the bridge by summer 2022.
‘Opportunities’
Transport Minister Ken Skates said the A487 was a “key route” and the bridge would follow on from work done to build the Caernarfon and Bontnewydd bypass.
“With climate change increasing the risk of flooding it’s important that we provide protection for homes and businesses and this scheme will contribute to both,” he said.
“This vital infrastructure will also complement the work the Welsh Government is doing to support the Mid Wales Growth Deal to develop new economic opportunities in this important part of Wales.
“Tourism is important for the Dyfi Valley and the removal of heavy traffic from the existing listed stone bridge allows for more walking and cycling opportunities which will be excellent not only for local people but for tourists too.”
The new bridge was part of the 2014 budget agreement between the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Welsh Government.
“I’m glad a new Dyfi bridge has finally been given the green light following our successful campaign,” Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds said.
“This is an important project that will bring huge benefits to communities across mid Wales.
“The new Dyfi bridge will better connect north, mid and south Wales whilst improving road safety, helping prevent flooding and boosting active travel in the Machynlleth area.
“This is another example of Welsh Liberal Democrats standing up for Mid Wales and highlights our record of championing investment in our rural communities.”
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While this bridge will undoubtedly be of benefit locally, it will do little to alleviate the excruciating journey between north and south as alleged in the article
While the existing bridge will provide good access for pedestrians and cyclists – when not flooded – all new highway infrastructure should incorporate appropriate provision for soft modes as a matter of principle. The new bridge and approaches should therefore be wide enough for parking, a walking/cycling lane, and for a viewing point.
That there would be an element of duplication – when not flooded – is unimportant in the larger scheme of things.
Some bridges such as this serve the Cymry.
But other bridges, never in all of history has an occupied nation so small been in so obvious a position to strike a blow so great with so little effort. A geography lesson.
A bridge is a fascist statement is it?
I use the A487 from time to time and the new road sounds a very desirable improvement, not just to tackle the risk of flooding but to avoid that sharp turn at the northern, Gwynedd, end of the present bridge. If at the same time they could come up with some solution to getting stuck behind a vast Mansel Davies lorry on the 487, it’d be even better!
Stand up for Mansel Davies! Its lorries are like the tractors – signs of solid activity in rural Wales. My solution to actually passing the things on the A487 was – drive a Jaguar. They’re not expensive, look at Autotrader. Worked every time.
I agree with Jonathan !
I am similarly enabled to overtake ! It’s not the Mansel Davies’s of this world but the driver behind who is fearful of overtaking even when safe to do so that creates the difficulty!
Alas, mine’s a Škoda …
We will also need a North-South railway to link up the 3 separate railway networks we have in Wales; So that way we can travel by high speed rail from Cardiff/Carmarthen to Bangor/Wrexham without leaving the country.
Scotland, Ireland and England already has a unified railway network, so we better hurry up with construction.
Instead of being a plug for the Liberal Democrats it would have been of more use if this article had given us information about the bridge itself, such as from where to where.
We need to pull the plug, she mentions “huge benefit” what are they exactly? First flood it will be closed at the station due to the existing dip being filled with water and she mentions it’s going to “prevent flooding” how? Most of the time when there is water on the road it’s passable, it’s under the railway bridge that we have a problem, stupid, something the good people of Brecon and Radnor are not
As you say, Gwyn, the new road will join the old one short of the railway bridge, which means that a lot of money will be spent solving only half the problem.
The proposed bridge scheme at Machynlleth will undoubtedly improve the route across the Dyfi floodplain. However, I understand that the new road will end at the existing railway arch below the railway station platforms. The dip below this arch floods and becomes impassable on several occasions most years. There seems to be no possibility of raising the road level at this point, so powerful pumps will have to be installed to keep the road open at times of flood. Would a more sustainable solution be to continue the new road to a point where it could cross the railway by… Read more »
Your point is absolutely correct, that is the deepest spot and will still be there as they cannot raise the road because Mansel Davies lorries need to go under the railway bridge unfortunately
However your answer to the problem is flawed, no matter how powerful the pumps are, where do you pump it to? The land all around it is flooded, as you pump it out, it fills up again
There were other options which were ignored, unless they have a cunning plan (but this is HM Govt in Wales) it will be yet another waste of money
New bridge must be welcome for people living around Mach and those passing through. However the A487 is a seriously defective road with the majority of it reduced to crawler speeds which doesn’t do travellers or air quality any good at all.