Residents are advised that the repair scheme to the pictured bridge on the A4059 near Cwmbach will resume at the beginning of April 2026, with initial setup and investigation work underway from this week. All work that requires a road closure will be undertaken at night to minimise disruption.
The Afon Cynon Bridge is located on the stretch of road between Cwmbach and Asda roundabouts, spanning the Afon Cynon and the railway line. A major maintenance scheme is required, and this got underway last year when blockstone and scour repairs were completed. The scheme was subsequently extended into 2026 due to design, health and safety, and access constraints.
Residents are advised that contractor Horan Construction Ltd recently started site setup at Aberaman Park Industrial Estate from March 25, with initial investigatory work now underway. The main bridge repairs will begin from Tuesday, April 7, and will proceed throughout the year.
The scheme will install bearings throughout the structure, complete concrete repairs to the front faces of the abutments and ballast walls, replace bridge deck joints with new movement joints, replace a section of damaged parapet, make masonry wall repairs, carry out maintenance painting, and repair the footpath under the bridge. The following work will be undertaken in early April:
- Trial holes and deliveries to site (8pm-6am on Tuesday, April 7, and Wednesday, April 8), requiring two-way traffic lights on the bridge.
- A temporary closure of the public right of way beneath the bridge from Thursday, April 9. This will continue throughout the wider repair scheme, to ensure safety for the workforce and the public.
The main repair scheme will follow this initial work. The programme is briefly outlined below, though it is subject to change based on factors that include bad weather conditions and unforeseen issues. All work that requires a road closure will be undertaken at night to minimise disruption to road users:
- Jacking of the bridge to enable the replacement of bearings, requiring a road closure at night. Following completion, a further road closure will be needed to de-jack the bridge (anticipated in spring 2026).
- Replacement of the bridge’s expansion joints will require a full road closure (anticipated during summer 2026).
- Removal of scaffolding on the bridge will require a full road closure (anticipated during autumn 2026).
The Council will communicate arrangements relating to all of these key work activities, including the required traffic management, once they are finalised.
Posted on 27/03/2026