VARIOUS options are being considered on a staged basis to protect the Usk Bridge from damage following a councillors campaign to force a review.

Cllr Tony Kear has been assessing the options available to altering the Grade II* structure built 1746-1747, which has been damaged again, and believes a pedestrian bridge is a potentially expensive option.

Whilst not a direct comparison – the new Llanfoist to Castle Meadows Active Travel Bridge is being built for £10.4 million

The current road traffic orders (RTO) allow vehicles of less than 7.5 tonnes use of the A472 for access and deliveries.

Historic attempts to change the RTOs ran into legal and practical difficulties including access for local deliveries.

The discussions so far have been on sight lines for traffic coming from Little Mill and turning left towards Bridge Street.

But Cllr Kear maintains there is clear evidence that traffic entering the “keep clear area” is forcing long HGVs turning right from the bridge towards Little Mill and are forced to take the wide route and the tail swing is causing the damage.

He understands that vegetation growth and highways signs on the bridge are hampering vision.

As an interim measure, it has been agreed that signage will be reviewed / replaced / re-sited and vegetation cleared.

Ownership of the land behind the wall (next to the steps) is being investigated to see if this area is part of a specifically deigned flood defence and if responsibility lies with Natural Resources Wales. (NRW)

MCC have also agreed to undertake further traffic counts (last done in 2022) to ascertain numbers of HGV movements, which may take six to eight weeks.

Cllr Kear added: “I said I would pursue this long standing issue. There is no easy cost effective solution – had there been, then no doubt it would have been put in place.”