Reopening of road between Chirk and Cefn Mawr moves a step closer
Progress seems to be being made on reopening a busy road near Chirk that has been closed for more than a year.
Back in February 2021 the B5605 Newbridge Road that provides vital road links between Newbridge and Cefn, Chirk, and Plas Madoc/Ruabon to the north was badly damaged by Storm Christoph and long diversions have been put in place.
Now a business case has been submitted to the Welsh Government by Wrexham County Borough Council which has been welcomed as a step forward.
The council had received funding of £175,000 from Welsh Government to provide preliminary, assessment and design costs. These have been completed.
Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes said: “I very much welcome the submission of a business case by Wrexham Council to the Welsh Government.
"I have raised the urgent need for funding to repair the Newbridge Road on a number of occasions with Ministers in the House of Commons as I strongly believe emergency funding should have been given to Wrexham Council much sooner after the initial damage was caused.
"I have been liaising closely with the lead member for environment and transport at Wrexham Council, Councillor David Bithell, on this issue and have taken every opportunity to raise the urgent need to secure Welsh Government funding for the road repairs.
"This has left communities and local businesses seriously impacted with 13-mile diversionary routes necessary when the A483 is closed."
The MP added: “I would like to take the opportunity to thank Councillor David Bithell and the officers at Wrexham Council for pursuing this issue over many months.
"It is now the responsibility of the Welsh Labour Government in Cardiff Bay to fund the repair work.”
Councillor Bithell said: “I am very pleased that this work is complete and urge Welsh Government to look favourably on the business case.
“The communities affected have already had a wait of over 12 months causing lengthy and inconvenient journeys.
"It’s a vital piece of infrastructure in this area and is also the diversion route for works on the A483 trunk road. When closures are in place on this road traffic has to be diverted via Llangollen – a fifteen mile diversion.
“The local MS and MP are keen to see the repairs funded and completed as soon as possible and I thank them for their support.”
