An important repair scheme to the A4059 Afon Cynon Bridge will commence from Monday, 28th April.

Located on the stretch of the road between the Cwmbach and Asda roundabouts, the initial work activity will include site setup and investigations, with the main repairs then proceeding throughout the year. 

will be delivered with all required traffic management taking place during overnight work shifts – while a limited number of road closures will be needed. These arrangements will help to significantly minimise disruption on this busy section of the road network.

The structure carries the A4059 over the River Cynon, and it requires a series of maintenance repairs. The work programme is planned until winter 2025/26, but it may need to be resumed in the following spring/summer, dependent upon Natural Resources Wales access constraints above the main river.

The scheme will install new 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, install blockstone scour protection, make masonry wall repairs, carry out maintenance painting, and repair the footpath beneath the bridge.

The Council has appointed Horan Construction Ltd to deliver the scheme, which is funded through the Council’s ongoing Highways Capital Programme.

The Council has announced that, from April 28, the contractor will set up a site compound at Aberaman Park Industrial Estate, and undertake vegetation clearance, ecological mitigation measures and surveys. Initial measures will include: 

• Two-way traffic lights on Afon Cynon Bridge from 8pm-6am on Monday, April 28, for up to five nights of work. This will enable trial holes to locate key services across the bridge. 
• A temporary closure of the public right of way beneath the bridge from May 7. This will continue throughout the wider repair scheme, to ensure safety for the workforce and the public.

Following these initial works, the main repair scheme will then begin in May 2025. The work programme is outlined below, though it is subject to change based on many factors, including weather conditions and any unforeseen issues:

• Formation of a temporary ramp access from the A4059 to the river, requiring temporary traffic lights at night (anticipated in spring 2025).
• 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 at night to de-jack the bridge (anticipated in autumn 2025).
• Replacement of the bridge’s expansion joints will require a full road closure to take place at night (anticipated in autumn 2025).
• Removal of scaffolding on the bridge will require a full road closure to take place at night (anticipated in winter 2025/26).

The Council will communicate arrangements relating to all of these key work activities, including the required traffic management, once they are finalised.