Railway footbridge will be replaced, Transport for Wales says

A railway footbridge in Llanbradach which was hit by a lorry will be replaced, Transport for Wales (TfW) has pledged.

The Tynygraig footbridge bridge across the Rhymney Valley rail line was shut in April after reportedly being damaged three months previously.

It was then hit by a lorry at the end of last month and had to be removed.

Transport for Wales has said it is committed to reinstating the bridge “as soon as we can”, but a letter from its chief executive James Price said it could take up to two years.

In a letter to Plaid Cymru ward councillor Colin Mann, Mr Price said: “We will do all we can to expedite installation of the structure, but it is extremely difficult to accurately predict a timeline given the significant unknowns we face due to Covid-19.

“A typical footbridge replacement takes between 12 and 24 months.

“It involves many stages, including consultations, site investigations, preliminary and detailed design, materials procurement, fabrication, enabling works and, finally, installation.”

Llanbradach ward councillor Rob Gough has called for an earlier replacement to be made.

“As far as I’m concerned taking two years to replace the footbridge is far too long,” he said.

“It’s not as if they have to design a massive structure like on a busy main road.

“They are only replacing a small footbridge.”

Cllr Mann, who is the leader of the council’s Plaid Cymru group, said it will be “pressing Transport for Wales to make speedy progress”.

“We want to see the preparation work started quickly, so the time without the bridge is kept to an absolute minimum,” he said.

Caerphilly’s Senedd Member Hefin David said: “I have met several times with TfW in recent weeks to discuss the rebuilding of the footbridge at Llanbradach Station.

“TfW told me they would be replacing the footbridge at the first meeting, so the repeated claims of TfW looking for reasons to get rid of the footbridge aren’t helpful.

“The challenge will be ensuring the works can be done within normal timescales, but this looks difficult due to Covid-19 and impacts on the supply chain.

“I’m continuously engaging with TfW with regular meetings to put forward the views of local people. I will ensure residents are regularly updated.”

Mr Price thanked the community of Llanbradach “for their patience and understanding” while the damaged footbridge was safely removed.

“We appreciate that this is an historic facility used by the members of the community to access local woodlands, and we are committed to reinstating it as soon as we can,” he said.