Positive update expected on Usk bridge plans

Jessica Evans and Twm Owen, local democracy reporters

A 'positive' update” on stalled plans for a new pedestrian bridge across the river Usk is expected soon.

Planning permission for the bridge connecting Abergavenny and Llanfoist was approved in October 2018 and work to construct footpaths leading to the proposed bridge started by Monmouthshire County Council in September 2023.

But although at the point it was anticipated the crossing would be completed by December 2024 progress has stalled and there is, as yet, no crossing in place, prompting Conservative councillor for Llanfoist and Govilon, Tomos Davies, to ask for an update.

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'Technical issues'

Councillor Sara Burch, the council’s Labour cabinet member for rural affairs and tourism, told him at the council’s April meeting: “It’s been subject to regulatory delays and to technical issues and delivering that new route across the fast-flowing river, through an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), a historic landscape was never going to be easy.

“I’m hopeful that all of those issues have been resolved and that we are ready to proceed with the project subject to receiving final confirmation of the second tranch of funding from Welsh Government.

“So, I am afraid my response has to be watch this space. We are expecting an imminent announcement from the cabinet secretary for transport and North Wales Ken Skates and as a number of us in this room have had the opportunity to bend his ear I hope we will have an announcement soon.”

A spokesman for Monmouthshire County Council said: “We are set to provide a positive update on the scheme in the near future and remain committed to delivering this scheme.”

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Active travel

At the council meeting Cllr Davies had also asked for an update on the council’s “active travel” programme of walking and cycling schemes and Cllr Burch said it has had annual funding it has put to routes across Severnside and an active travel bridge across the Wye in Monmouth. She described the Llanfoist bridge, which will link the area to Castle Meadows as “perhaps the most ambitious”.

The council, she said, has also delivered additional phases of the Williamsfield Lane Links project in Monmouth and phase one of the Caldicott links project converting the disused railway line to a pedestrian and cycling path.

Smaller scale projects have included putting in dropped kerbs and crossings.