One of Llanelli’s most recognisable footbridges has shut its gates – and won’t reopen until October.
Dafen footbridge – known to generations of locals as the Black Bridge – has been closed by Carmarthenshire County Council while the existing structure is demolished and a brand new bridge installed in its place.
The closure is expected to last until October due to the scale of the works involved.
The Black Bridge crosses the railway line on the west side of the B4304 Coastal Link Road, connecting Trinity Road in Llanelli to the former Pen y Fan quarry site.
The new bridge will feature ramped access – a significant upgrade on the existing structure, and one that will open the route up to wheelchair users, pushchair users and people with mobility difficulties for the first time.
The project is funded by the Welsh Government through its Active Travel Fund and forms part of a wider scheme to create a safe walking and cycling route along the B4303.
The Black Bridge replacement is the next section of a continuous walking and cycling route being built along the corridor.
An earlier section – crossing the Afon Dafen – has already been completed and was named in honour of Welsh rugby legend Phil Bennett at a ceremony last year.
The new route will connect local schools, employment sites and the hospital to the surrounding residential areas of Dafen and Llanelli.
The project also links to the wider Pentre Awel development – the major health and well-being campus under construction on the former Dafen industrial estate – which is expected to bring thousands of jobs and visitors to the area.
Wales has been investing heavily in new walking and cycling routes in recent years – and Carmarthenshire has been among the biggest beneficiaries, with Welsh Government funding backing a number of schemes across the county.
During the closure, the council is directing users to an alternative route via Olive Street and Heol Trostre.
Pedestrians are asked to follow the diversion signage in place and allow extra time for journeys that would ordinarily use the bridge.
For drivers and cyclists using the Coastal Link Road, works traffic may cause some disruption in the area over the coming months.
When the new Black Bridge opens, it will connect directly into the completed Afon Dafen section – giving Llanelli a continuous, accessible walking and cycling route that didn’t exist before.
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