‘Nightmare’ and ‘dangerous’ but still we wait

Welshpool Town Council has called it a “nightmare”, while one parent of an injured child branded it “dangerous”, but there is still no sign of the town’s railway footbridge being made safe.

Councillors have expressed their “deep concern” at the state of its surface which claimed another victim last week when a small boy tumbled and required medical attention to his nasty injuries.

The bridge, which crosses the busy by-pass and is also used by workers heading to the town’s industrial zone, underwent a shocking resurfacing job recently, leaving Powys County Council demanding that the contractor returned to do it again properly.

But Powys says there is no timetable in place for the work to be redone, which has not pleased the town council.

“The railway bridge at Welshpool Station is a nightmare,” said town clerk Robert Robinson. “I have met with Powys and the Contractor to see what is going on. The Town Council has written to PCC stating that in their view the bridge surface is dangerous. The County Council has put signs up saying ‘uneven surface’ but this is not enough. The surface has worsened with the heat and now it is very poor and does nothing for those visiting the town on the rail line.”

The worried mother shared pictures of her son’s nasty injuries with us and added: “It is dangerous and I have contacted the town council, Powys and the Welsh Government to try to stop another child getting hurt.”

A spokesperson for Powys County Council told us: “The resurfacing work that took place on Welshpool railway footbridge has not been done to a satisfactory standard by the contractor, who is now working to provide an alternative solution that would meet the requirements of the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency.

“It is too early to say when it will begin as the work timetable is yet to be agreed. Once a timetable has been agreed, the council will inform Welshpool Town Council.”

Until then, just be careful when using the bridge.