Not replacing 200-year-old bridge destroyed by storm branded 'easy cop out'

North Wales Live

30-05-2025

North Wales Live readers have been voicing their opinions on the recent suspension of a bridge reconstruction project in North Wales, expressing both frustration and scepticism. The original bridge had been a community staple for over two centuries until it was carried away, and now, the plans to erect a new one have come to a halt.
Denbighshire County Council's cabinet decided this week to drop the proposal to replace Llanerch Bridge, which succumbed to Storm Christoph in 2021 after the River Clwyd overflowed.
Council officials cautioned that drilling into the riverbed might risk polluting the water supply for 85,000 households.
This is due to the location of the former bridge, between Trefnant and Tremeirchion, situated above an essential freshwater aquifer utilised by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to provide drinking water to locals.
Councillors were informed about the potential hazards of drilling into sandstone layers, which could lead to fissures and contaminate the water source.
Paul Jackson, the council's head of highways and environmental services, remarked: "There's not been a design solution that has been found that completely removes the risk to that water asset."
"Therefore, the detailed design stage has concluded that it is not possible to construct a new bridge without the required foundations penetrating the weathered section of sandstone and putting a potential fissure in the aquifer, and again, interrupting that water supply."
One reader, Avanice writes: "The original bridge seemed to last for a few hundred years without drilling but modern man's expertise in bridge building can't design a bridge without it! The Councillors are being fed a line of bulls manure. Get the 1.5 wasted million back and give it to Army's Royal Engineers for their bridge design. The RGB would appear to fill the need and at a pinch (or 1.5 million), it could have been done within 24hours! It might not look pretty but it works!"
Statistix questions: "Notice how many times the word 'risk' is used. Unfortunately we live in an age where 'risk' is the lid on a box that no one dares open 'just in case' something happens, and it has now become the excuse for 'can't do' when it used to be the challenge for 'let's see how to do'. How else did our ancestors get us to where we are today?"
Flintshire adds: "Long winded way of saying that we're not building one because we're broke!"
Cannonballdaze ask: "How about a walking and cycling bridge instead?"
Wonkeye1 answers: "The article explains that it's not the weight of the bridge it's the water pressure. They discussed having a footbridge in the meeting."
Steamnut says: "If the original bridge did well enough for 200 years so why not rebuild it as it was? How does the seven mile detour sit with the ECO campaigners?
"If we were at war the army would drop a Bailey bridge over it in less than 34 hours. I think the Council will use any excuse not to spend the money and the Welsh Water problem was just what they were looking for.
"And yet the same Welsh Water are happy to tip sewage into our rivers? There is just a possible problem 'could contaminate' with the ground water and that would not be for long I'm sure. That 'contamination', creating by drilling, would only be mud, sand and grit. That is not going to harm our health as much as raw sewage is it?"
Mrrogerdodger writes: "This is absolutely hilarious - there is zero need to drill down into the riverbed - an A-Level Physics student could demonstrate this with a lego model! Whoever Denbighshire Council engaged with to produce these 'impossible' designs must be laughing all the way to the bank. If the proposals came from internal, please check, double-check and triple-check their qualifications! Unbelievable."
Dave selwood replies: "Obviously they don't want to spend as the council do what whatever they want usually."
TerryTruck believes: "Well, that was an easy cop out for DCC, I'm sure they had their fingers crossed that this would be the outcome that they so desired."