A footbridge in Caerphilly that was damaged four years ago is set to be repaired this year, say Transport for Wales. 

The bridge, known as the Ty’n-y Graig bridge, which goes over the Rhymney railway in Llanbradach has been waiting for repair since being struck by a lorry in 2020. 

Now, Transport for Wales CEO James Price has confirmed the target is for the repair to be completed by the end of 2024. 

His words were included in a letter sent to Plaid Cymru South Wales East Senedd members Peredur Owen Griffiths and Delyth Jewell in which he also apologised for the delay. 

In his letter, Mr Price said finding a replacement had "proved far more complicated than initially envisaged", citing land acquisition, modifying plans to consider current safety standards, and reviewing engineering techniques.

He also noted that the delay had gone on too long and confirmed he had asked the teams to work directly and "not through [their] infrastructure partners". 

Mr Owen Griffiths and Ms Jewell have called the delays "ridiculous" but welcomed the news of the repair. 

Peredur Owen Griffiths and Delyth Jewell said the confirmation from Transport for Wales (TfW) that work would be starting soon on the is a big boost for the people of Llanbradach.

However, this is not the only damaged bridge awaiting repair.

The historic train station bridge in Llanbradach has also been damaged after being hit by a railway maintenance vehicle in early 2022. 

Mr Price confirmed in his letter that work on the train station bridge would be would not start until the 2025/26 financial year, with the Ty’n-y Graig being prioritised, but "restoration drawings" for the  railway bridge were currently under review.

He said: "I will share the full programme with you once I receive it with my aim being that the bridge replacement is delivered in 2024.

"We know that this has been a long time coming, and on behalf of Transport for Wales I would like to once again apologise that the programme to replace Ty’n-y-Graig bridge has taken far longer than anyone anticipated."

In response, Mr Owen Griffiths and Ms Jewell shared a joint statement. 

They said: “We are pleased that we have received an undertaken that work will aim to be completed in 2024 on the Ty’n-Y-Graig bridge.

“We have heard all this before of course so, along with our Plaid Cymru colleagues and Llanbradach councillors Colin Mann and Gary Enright, we will be keeping a close eye on matters in the coming weeks and months.

“It is ridiculous that it has taken this long to repair two damaged bridges which have caused a lot of inconvenience to the people of Llanbradach.

“There will also be disappointment that the station bridge is not scheduled for restoration until 2025/26 as the temporary bridge is a poor substitute for the real thing.

“We would like to see this brought forward as the people of Llanbradach have suffered long enough.”