£12m Funding Secures Restoration of Historic Bridge in Port Talbot

The regeneration scheme—backed by Neath Port Talbot Council—will restore the Grade II listed structure and introduce a shared pedestrian and cycle track across the bridge, alongside upgrades to Newbridge Road, Riverside Road and Dock Road.

The funding follows an earlier £803,000 Levelling Up allocation awarded in June to support detailed design work for the project. That initial grant allowed the council to begin planning improvements aimed at reducing severance caused by the River Afan and enhancing east-west connectivity across Port Talbot.

Cllr Wyndham Griffiths said the Newbridge Active Travel Link and Dock Access project will “improve walking and cycling connections” and tie into ongoing regeneration work in Civic Square. He added, “It’s very much in keeping with our culture strategy.”

Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood MP described the bridge as “a fantastic project” that will improve connections, unlock jobs and support economic growth.

Originally opened in 1903 during the expansion of Port Talbot’s docks, the plate-girder bridge is noted by Cadw for its unusual design—carrying a strategic road rather than a railway. The bases of original gas lamp posts still stand on its stone piers.

The total cost of the project is £13.5m, with £1.35m match-funded by the council. The funding announcement comes as part of a wider £301m transport package revealed in the Chancellor’s Spending Review.

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Council granted £803k to draw up plans for Grade II listed Port Talbot bridge

Neath Port Talbot Council has been awarded £803,000 in UK Government funding via the Levelling Up Fund to carry out detailed design work for a proposed Active Travel project involving Port Talbot’s historic Newbridge Road Bridge.

The proposed overall scheme involves renewal work on the Grade II listed bridge and redeveloping the adjacent Dock Road as far as the roundabout linking Dock Road and Harbour Way.

The total estimated cost of the proposed project is £13.5m, with £12.3m to come from UK Government funding via the Levelling Up Fund and £1.2m being matched by Neath Port Talbot Council.

UK Government funding for the project will not be confirmed until early July after a budget review but the design work funding will allow a start to be made on the scheme.

Neath Port talbot Council say the proposed scheme will preserve the deteriorated Grade II listed bridge structure and improve east-west connectivity in Port Talbot, reducing ‘severance’ created by the River Afan.

The council say the scheme will also provide a more attractive, safe, and continuous traffic-free route, avoiding the heavily trafficked Victoria Road and increase the coherence and density of the local active travel network, improving linkages to a national cycle route.

Cllr Wyndham Griffiths, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Transport and Connectivity said: “This initiative aims to improve walking and cycling connections in the area by restoring the historic bridge, which was closed decades ago, and creating safer, more accessible routes. 

“The plan includes using the existing bridge piers for a pedestrian and cycle bridge, potentially revitalising the route and providing better connectivity.”

Erected by the former Aberavon Corporation, the bridge was officially opened on October 29th 1903 as a result of expansion at Port Talbot’s docks.

The bridge is listed by Cadw as “a finely detailed plate-girder bridge which is unusual at this date for carrying a strategic road rather than a railway. The association with the development of Port Talbot docks is of additional historic interest.”

The bases of original gas lamp-posts are still mounted on the bridge’s large, square stone piers.

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