Snowdonia’s historic wobbly bridge to get replaced

On Nov 20, 2023

Sappers Bridge has provided a direct route into Betws-y-Coed for 97 years
Closed after its timber buildings had been discovered to be rotting in December 2021
Conwy Council has provided locals three choices to select from in a session

Published: 13:12, 20 November 2023 | Updated: 14:25, 20 November 2023

Villagers who misplaced a battle to avoid wasting their historic wobbly bridge have now been requested to decide on its alternative as an alternative.

Sappers Bridge, a 93-year-old suspension bridge, affords a direct route into the village of Betws-y-Coed in Snowdonia, North Wales.

The overpass was closed on account of security issues again in December 2021, after its timber buildings had been discovered to be rotting.

B&Bs and tourism companies east of the village had been minimize off and native individuals had been disadvantaged of standard strolling routes, after inspectors discovered the metal suspension cables on the previous bridge had reached the tip of their lifespans.

Council chiefs had deliberate to hold out structural works on the bridge, however prices rapidly spiraled to £1m following security inspections, main officers to say the bridge have to be changed.

Sappers Bridge, a 93-year-old suspension bridge, offers a direct route into the village of Betws-y-Coed in Snowdonia, North Wales

Sappers Bridge, a 93-year-old suspension bridge, affords a direct route into the village of Betws-y-Coed in Snowdonia, North Wales

The overpass was closed due to safety concerns back in December 2021, after its timber structures were found to be rotting

The overpass was closed on account of security issues again in December 2021, after its timber buildings had been discovered to be rotting

Council chiefs had planned to carry out structural works on the bridge, but costs quickly spiraled to £1m following safety inspections

Council chiefs had deliberate to hold out structural works on the bridge, however prices rapidly spiraled to £1m following security inspections

Conwy Council is now trying to embody an improved river crossing in a ‘Coast to Valley’ cycle path working from Llandudno Junction to Betws-y-Coed.

The native authority has provided locals three choices to select from in a session.

Two of the alternative designs – choice two and three – are estimated to value £2million whereas the third – which most intently resembles the present suspension bridge – is estimated to value £3million and comes with a ‘development threat’.

Option one would see a widened duplicate of Sappers Bridge constructed over the River Conwy. This would have a 50-metre span and a 3.5-metre width.

Option two would supply a brand new beam bridge, 60-metre span and a 3.5-metre width, sitting upstream of Sappers Bridge, leaving the previous bridge in place and probably reassembled, if more money will be discovered.

The third choice presents this identical beam bridge as full alternative for the unique construction.

Sappers Bridge was inbuilt 1930 after the unique picket footbridge was washed away in a storm.

The authentic bridge was constructed on the positioning by the Royal Engineers to hyperlink the village with a military camp on the alternative aspect of the river.

Before the constructing of this bridge in 1917, stepping stones had been the one the cross the River Conwy.

The local authority has offered locals three options to choose from in a consultation

The native authority has provided locals three choices to select from in a session

Option one would see a widened replica of Sappers Bridge built over the River Conwy. This would have a 50-metre span and a 3.5-metre width

Option one would see a widened duplicate of Sappers Bridge constructed over the River Conwy. This would have a 50-metre span and a 3.5-metre width

Option two would see a new beam bridge, 60-metre span and a 3.5-metre width, sitting upstream of Sappers Bridge

Option two would see a brand new beam bridge, 60-metre span and a 3.5-metre width, sitting upstream of Sappers Bridge

The third option sees this same beam bridge replace Sappers Bridge entirely

The third choice sees this identical beam bridge exchange Sappers Bridge solely

Sappers Bridge was built in 1930 after the original wooden footbridge was washed away in a storm

Sappers Bridge was inbuilt 1930 after the unique picket footbridge was washed away in a storm

The original bridge was built on the site by the Royal Engineers to link the village with an army camp on the opposite side of the river

The authentic bridge was constructed on the positioning by the Royal Engineers to hyperlink the village with a military camp on the alternative aspect of the river

Before the building of this bridge in 1917, stepping stones were the only the cross the River Conwy

Before the constructing of this bridge in 1917, stepping stones had been the one the cross the River Conwy

Structural evaluations performed final 12 months discovered that just about the complete bridge would have to be refurbished, with the complete timber deck in addition to different elements changed utterly.

How stepping stones had been the one option to cross the Conwy River till Sappers Bridge was constructed

Before 1917, locals may solely entry from Betws-y-Coed from this aspect of the Conwy River by traversing some reasonably inconvenient stepping stones
Around this time, a military camp was established on this space of Betws-y-Coed in World War I
As an answer, a picket bridge was put in over the River Conwy in 1917 by ‘Sappers’ or royal fight engineers.
In the Nineteen Thirties a brand new iron suspension bridge was constructed by some engineers of Westminster.
It nonetheless retained the unique title of ‘Sappers’ bridge out of respect for the fight engineering efforts through the struggle

Various locals have expressed their dissatisfaction over the choices being provided for the brand new bridge on Facebook, with many wanting the council to spend cash on repairing the unique web site as an alternative.

One consumer wrote on the social media web site: ”The authentic bridge is gorgeous, very ornate and pleasing on the attention and it suits in with the environment. In easy phrases it has robust historic connections to Betws. So why not perform crucial repairs so it may proceed to grace the river it now spans.’

Another stated: ‘the bridge is 100 years previous and it was appropriate for ‘lively journey’ then so why cant or not it’s rebuilt / repaired to the identical design.’

A 3rd added: ‘From article feedback ‘Or Option 4 – restore the previous bridge again to the way in which it was, useable with out all of the ‘..sustainable..’ waffle?’

Conservative politician Janet Finch-Saunders MS stated Conwy Council had not given the bridge the urgency it deserved.

She stated: ‘This drop-in occasion is months delayed. Conwy County now has choices for an answer to this horrible drawback it’s important that residents take this chance to have a say.’

In January, the native authority was awarded greater than £18m in UK Government funding to develop lively journey routes within the county.

Conwy Council stated: ‘Before we transfer forward with a last design and a planning software, we need to carry you updated with the work we have carried out up to now.

‘We are sharing the designs and visualisations and asking for the views of the neighborhood on proposals for a brand new or alternative bridge.’