Public meeting called ahead of bridge replacement project
Lewis Smith, Local Democracy Reporter
Residents have been invited to a public meeting this week to learn more about plans to replace a failing bridge located on a main transport route through the Ogmore Valley.
The A4061 river bridge at Blackmill was reduced to a single lane in March of 2025 after routine checks revealed significant problems with its structure including cracks in the main deck.
It meant temporary traffic lights were put in place to reduce the load on the bridge while engineers looked for a solution, though this is understood to have caused “unavoidable traffic congestion” in the area.
The work has since been described as a “complex engineering project” and will now see the main deck of the bridge completely replaced in order to make it safe.
A section of frequently asked questions on the council’s website noted that while the replacement could not be carried out without causing a certain amount of inconvenience every effort would be made to keep disruption to a minimum.
It added: “Once the new deck has been installed, the council’s priority will be to return traffic to normal and ensure that drivers can safely use the new bridge to enter or leave the Ogmore Valley.”
Councillor Eugene Caparros said: “The contractor is currently liaising with a number of organisations, including utility companies, as local gas, water and telecommunications services run beneath the bridge and will need to be rerouted while the work is underway.
“This is a complex project, but it is absolutely necessary.
“The A4061 is the main route in and out of the Ogmore Valley, and once this work has been completed, it will safeguard the bridge and ensure it remains safe to use for generations to come.”
The public meeting will now take place at 5.30pm on Wednesday, October 28, at Blackmill Youth and Community Centre, where officers will explain how the work will be undertaken and phased.
It will also highlight the schedule for the work, what the traffic management plans are, as well as what measures have been agreed with public transport providers.
The project will be paid for using £3.5m of Welsh Government regional transport funding, after a successful bid from the local council.
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