PLANS to secure the future of a Grade II-listed bridge over the Wye between Brockweir and Tintern have been submitted to Monmouthshire Council.
The historic Tintern Wireworks Bridge, which links the Forest of Dean to Monmouthshire for pedestrians and cyclists, is in poor condition and in need of significant repairs.
Recent assessments of the bridge, which has featured in the hit Netflix show ‘Sex Education’, have found that it does not have the required capacity for pedestrian loading, or for the three tonne vehicle loading requirement due to “severe localised corrosion”.
Its joint owners - Gloucestershire County Council and Monmouthshire Council - have identified funding to progress repair works estimated to cost about £1.5 million.
Works to strengthen the bridge, which include changing the load path and replacing existing timber planks, have been outlined in a planning application.
The proposed repairs would protect the bridge’s future and make maintenance easier, while safety hazards would also be eliminated with a flat surface introduced for pedestrians.
The application says the scheme would see “minimal change” to the bridge’s appearance.
Works are set to begin this spring, and the bridge is expected be closed to all users for around nine months.