What are the issues?
- Sappers Bridge has been closed for some time on safety grounds - the timber deck, deck supports, main suspension cables and towers all need to be replaced.
- The bridge was difficult to use for mobility scooters, wheelchair users and prams.
- The existing path that links Old Church Road to the A470 via the bridge is below the standard for active travel and some parts are very steep and difficult for all users.
About the project
- We are building a replacement bridge, designed to look similar to the old bridge. It is a suspension bridge with two towers and a span of 50m. It has been designed to modern standards and will be accessible and wide enough for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users, prams and mobility scooters.
- An improved walking, wheeling and cycling route between Betws y Coed and Rhyd y Creuau.
- The project also includes improved paths either side of the bridge to Old Church Road and the A470. We are working with Welsh Government to widen the existing path on the verge of the A470 and add a kerb. This will run for 800m from where the bridge path meets the A470 along to Rhyd y Creuau field studies centre.
Programme
- April 2025: preparation work on Old Church Road, to divert sewers, power cables and clean water supplies
- End of May 2025: start work to remove the old bridge
- May to June 2025: start work on the path from the bridge to the A470 and along the road to Rhyd y Creuau
- June to September 2025: construct the new abutment/anchor block at the western end (Old Church Road)
- September 2025 to February 2026: continue work on the A470 path to Rhyd y Creuau
- April to June 2026: work on the bridge construction
There are rules which mean we cannot work in the river between October and March because of fish spawning.
Visualisations
Funding
The main design and construction work is funded by UK Government, with funding from Welsh Government’s Active Travel fund for work on the A470.
The total cost of the project is £7 million.
Onward route
We are working with Welsh Government on planning the onward route to Llanrwst. We will consult the public on this once draft designs are complete.
We are also looking at strategic options for the Môr I’r Mynydd / Coast to Valley active travel route from Llandudno Junction to Betws y Coed, which is a longer term project.
Questions and answers
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The old bridge was closed on safety grounds, due to the condition of the deck, suspension cables and towers. Our contractors will dismantle the old bridge carefully. We are open to suggestions about possible uses for parts of the old bridge.
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The replacement bridge is designed to look similar to the old bridge. It is a suspension bridge with two towers and a span of 50m. It has been designed to modern standards and will be accessible and wide enough for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users, prams and mobility scooters.
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The project also includes improved paths either side of the bridge to Old Church Road and the A470. We are working with Welsh Government to widen the existing path on the verge of the A470. This will run from where the bridge path meets the A470 along to Rhyd-y-Creuau field studies centre.
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Active travel routes are designed for everyday journeys that would otherwise use motorised transport. While active travel routes can be used for recreation, the main focus is on providing access to work, education, services and facilities.
Welsh Government’s statutory guidance for delivering the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013, states that equestrian travel is not considered a form of active travel. This is because equestrian use is overwhelmingly for leisure purposes.
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We need to move a section of the Erw Hedd cemetery wall to allow us to dig foundations for the new bridge and path. This will be rebuilt as part of the work.
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We may need to temporarily remove the church wall while we dig foundations for the new bridge. This will be rebuilt as part of the work.
The church is open for its saint’s day on 29 September. We intend to have all access work completed in time for this.
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We have tried to minimise disruption on Old Church Road, but this is a big project and the work does need some road closures. We’re sorry for the inconvenience this will cause.
Where possible, our contractors are working with traffic lights during the day and road closures at night.
The road will be under traffic lights during the summer school holidays. There will be localised road closures between June to September. The road closures are needed to build the foundations of the new bridge.
We expect all the access work to be completed by October 2025.
Please check local signs for details of specific road closures.
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Yes. We held a public consultation in November 2023, showing 3 different possible designs for the bridge. The consultation was available on our website, via the post, and at public drop in events.
Read about the public consultation.
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We do not need to close the road to do the path work on the A470, but there will be traffic lights. The traffic management will be staffed at peak times and there will be no disruption over bank holidays.
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We expect that the bridge and the connecting path will be ready in September 2026.
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We are working with Welsh Government on planning the onward route to Llanrwst. We will consult the public on this once draft designs are complete.