The Challenge

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council had contracted London infrastructure consultants Capita Property & Infrastructure, through their Cardiff JV office (Redstart), to carry out an inspection on the Gyfeillion Bridge in Hopkinstown, Wales. The old panel bridge connected a busy A-road alongside a local country park and nearby properties.

The results of the inspection highlighted the fact that the bridge desperately needed upgrading; it was old and had been assessed as substandard. Redstart approached Mabey Bridge who advised that due to the age of the bridge, and given the major repair works which would be required to improve it, the most cost-effective solution would be to take apart the old panel bridge and then install a new bridge. The council accepted the advice and took the decision to replace the structure with a new Compact 200™.

The Solution

The old bridge ends had been supported by a temporary steel tower, therefore Mabey Bridge would need to design and supply an extra bay to allow the bearings to sit on the ground, rather than the tower. To overcome this challenge, a bespoke 1.04m long bay was designed into the scheme. The end design was a 16.28m span Compact 200™ bridge with anti-skid and P2 type parapets.

One of the challenges faced during construction was the lack of site area for installation. So, a former colliery site belonging to the council adjacent to the bridge’s location was used to assemble the new bridge. Due to the proximity of the site works to the heavily trafficked A4058 which ran in front of the bridge, installation was carried out overnight to minimise disruption to the local community. A crane-assisted launch was used to lift the old bridge out and replace it with the new Compact 200™.

The Result

The Compact 200™ now offers a safe access point for both vehicles and pedestrians crossing the river to the local country park and nearby properties. The bridge was built overnight and re-opened in the early hours of the morning, ensuring that this critical piece of infrastructure was replaced quickly, safely and efficiently with minimal disruption to the local community.