A public consultation will take place on Ceredigion County Council’s plans to replace the Plascrug footbridge in Aberystwyth which was damaged by storms more than four years ago.

The bridge, which has been in place since the 1990s, suffered storm damage in 2021, with a temporary scaffolding walkway installed.

The bridge serves as a key link to Plascrug and Ysgol Gymraeg primary schools as well as to Plascrug Leisure Centre.

After options to replace the temporary bridge unveiled in May last year, concerns were raised by parents and governors of Plascrug School in Aberystwyth over an “absurd” proposal to build a footbridge over the school play area and onto Plascrug Avenue.

The rebuilding or re-siting of the bridge is part of wider active travel plans, and Ceredigion County Council released a video last year showing options for connecting paths for the new active travel route between Bow Street, Penrhyncoch and Aberystwyth.

The first option is to install a wider bridge at the existing location.

The second is to build a new bridge across Plascrug School grounds.

But the group of worried parents called for the second option to be dropped, over fears it would impact the school’s main outdoor space.

A public consultation event will now be held on 14 January – the day a six week consultation also goes live - to view options and proposals for a new Active Travel bridge in Plascrug, Aberystwyth, proposed by Ceredigion County Council.

The event will be open to the public between 10am and 7pm at the Ground Floor in the Canolfan Rheidol Council Office building in Aberystwyth.

Ceredigion County Council said: “Officers, alongside consultants working on behalf of Ceredigion County Council, will be on hand to present different options proposed to improve active travel connectivity at this location.

“The consultation will also include display panels and 3D models of the options.”

Cllr Shelley Childs, Cabinet Member for Highways & Environmental Services, said: “Council officers have been developing proposals to install a wider bridge structure which will enhance access for cyclists, pedestrians and the wheeling community, whilst meeting current design standards.

“This is a very popular bridge crossing, serving as an important link to several schools and leisure facilities in this area, saving users a much longer journey via the town centre.

“This part of Aberystwyth has developed considerably since the original bridge structure was installed some 20 years ago, and any new bridge will need to be wider to better accommodate increased levels of current usage and the expected future increase as urban social travel behaviours change.

“However, there are significant constraints in this area partly caused by this increased development which has made these proposals more challenging from an engineering perspective.

“The public will be able to see the positives and negatives of each option before selecting their preferred option to be developed further.’’

The consultation will be open for six weeks from 14 January.

The chosen replacement bridge following a consultation would need Welsh Government funding to be completed.