Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Carmarthen Bridge will be closed on Sunday for minor maintenance repairs. The bridge will be closed from a point 120 metres north of its junction with Towy Roundabout for a total distance of 70 metres in a northerly direction from 8am until 6pm for work on the bridge joints. The alternative route for south bound traffic will be via A4242 Coracle Way, A40 Pont Lesneven, A40 Pont Pensarn and A484 Heol Llangynnwr. Vice Versa for north bound traffic. The one-way traffic order - Parade Road and St Peters Street - will be temporarily suspended for the duration of the closure, to allow for two-way working along Parade Road. Old Station Road junction with Castle Hill, that’s southbound traffic only - will be closed for the duration of the closure. Eastbound traffic along Old Station Road will be unaffected.

Network Rail work on replacing Piano Bridge in Lower Trostre Road, Llanelli, will be extended into May. It had been forecast that the busy road serving Llanelli’s coastal road from Trostre Park - closed since January - would be re-opened by the end of April. Bad weather and unexpected water and sewerage pipework replacement problems have caused a delay of up to a month. The double bridge spans the main London to Fishguard rail line and a bank of disused sidings. Under the conditions of their licence agreement contractors are obliged to work, whenever possible, at times that cause the least disruption to train services. The demolition and reconstruction of the railway and sidings bridge has taken place and the restorations of services and finishing works are in their final stages. Weather proofing of the construction has to be completed and this has to be undertaken in good weather conditions which means the work will be completed and the road reopened sometime from the middle to...

A farming community in the Tywi Valley has been given a new lease of life - thanks to a new bridge. When a three tonne weight limit had to be imposed on Glandwr Farm Bridge, Cynghordy, residents feared the impact it would have on their daily lives. Carmarthenshire County Council acted swiftly as a major bridge strengthening scheme needed to be carried out due to the severe affect on the community. A scheme was developed to replace the existing two span bridge with a new structure comprising of an in-situ reinforced concrete deck, abutments and central pier. As well as the design of the new structure, land drainage consent had to be approved by the Environment Agency, together with the acquisition of privately owned land from adjoining landowners prior to construction works commencing. The works cost almost £200,000 to carry out and the overall scheme took 13 months to complete, from inception to completion of construction. Gill Wright of Ty Glandwr said: “There are four farms and a bed...

A number of bridge strengthening schemes have been undertaken across Carmarthenshire this year. Works have been carried out to Felindre Bridge, near Dryslwyn; Rhydygaer Bridge, Llanpumsaint; and Glandwr Farm Bridge, Cynghordy in order to bring them up to standard. The council has a rigorous assessment programme to determine whether or not the county’s bridges are able to carry 40 tonne traffic loads as dictated by European legislation. A £148,000 scheme is being carried out at Felindre Bridge after a weight restriction of three tonnes was imposed. The existing two span bridge deck was strengthened by precast pre-stressed concrete bridge beams supported on the existing abutments and central pier. Work commenced in August and is almost complete. A three tonne weight restriction was also imposed on Rhydygaer Bridge following a structural assessment which found it to be sub-standard. A scheme was developed to replace the existing brick arch bridge by utilising precast concrete box culvert ...