The plans for a replacement for the A494 River Dee Bridge, a key
part of North Wales' road infrastructure, have taken another step
forward as the preferred option is announced.
A public consultation was held looking at five possible options.
This confirmed there was strong support for Option E,the best
performing option, and further work has also been carried out to
address some of the comments raised.
Option E has is therefore announced as the preferred option
as it is the most affordable, has a lower environmental footprint
and is the most practical to deliver. It will will provide
a new single bridge structure with full provision for active
travel within the new bridge." H
Work at the railway would be minimised with the existing highway
verge area through the structure being reconfigured to facilitate
an up to 3km of new and improved active travel paths.
The preliminary design, which considers the environmental and
engineering issues in more detail, continues to be developed,
taking account of the comments made during the consultation. The
next stage will be to publish draft Orders and an Environmental
Statement which will allow stakeholders to comment, support or
object to the proposals. This is programmed for Autumn 2025 and
public exhibitions will be held during this period where
officials and the project team will be available to answer any
queries.
Construction is expected to begin in late 2026 to early
2027.
A new bridge is needed as the requirement for repairs on the
existing bridge is increasing. Inspections and monitoring to date
have concluded that the frequency of repairs and the risk of
major repair and intervention requiring the closure of the bridge
is growing year-on-year.
The preferred option identified in 2019 has been reviewed and new
scheme options are proposed that ensure better alignment with
current policies whilst improving value for money and resilience
along this strategically important corridor. A further priority
is to reduce disruption during construction as far as possible.
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales said: “Fixing our roads is a priority for this
government and we are moving ahead with the plans for a
replacement for the A494 Dee Bridge. I'm pleased today to
be able to announce the preferred option, which is the most
cost-effective and has the least environmental impact. The
plans can now move ahead to the next stage with a view to publish
the draft orders later this year.
“I'd like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation on
the future of this vital road link. Along with our plans for
improved bus and rail travel in the region, the replacement
bridge will further strengthen the transport infrastructure in
North Wales.”
