TROUBLED WATERS

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

- By DAVID PRINCE

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 Dwr 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, said: “There’s not been a design solution that has been found that completely removes the risk to that water asset.”