Cut-off residents will have to wait another year for work to start on new bridge

Nicholas Thomas, local democracy reporter

Building work on a new bridge reconnecting stranded residents with the wider community will not begin until at least April 2026.

Newport City Council said the £1 million it received from a Welsh Government fund was less than “the full amount it needed to progress with the construction phase of the project”.

Residents of Forge Mews have been cut off by road since the summer of 2021 when inspectors closed Bassaleg Bridge over safety concerns.

They fear limited vehicle access to their homes poses its own safety risks – and those fears were realised in 2022 when fire engines struggled to reach a house fire in the street.

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Replacement

The council has since abandoned plans to repair the existing bridge, and has instead proposed a replacement structure, which previous estimates suggested could cost £9 million.

The council received nearly £7 million in Welsh Government transport funding last week, but that sum has been divided into amounts allocated towards specific projects.

The “£1 million for Bassaleg Bridge” including in that government funding will be put towards the “continuation of the design and survey work” for a replacement structure, the council has confirmed.

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Disappointed

Newport City Council added it had submitted a bid for “the full amount it needed to progress with the construction phase of the project”, and said it was “disappointed this bid was not successful, as it means we will not be able to commence with construction in this financial year”.

The council bid for £6.4 million for the current financial year, and a further £2.6 million for the following year.

“We will continue to discuss the progression of the scheme with Welsh government colleagues and will provide further updates about this to residents once available,” the local authority added.

The council previously estimated the construction phase of a replacement bridge could take around two years to complete.

Given the new delay to construction beginning, it could be at least 2028 before Forge Mews becomes fully accessible once again.