Ceredigion County Council has confirmed that, following a major public consultation, Option A is the preferred option for the Plascrug Footbridge Replacement Scheme.
The scheme aims to replace the existing footbridge at Plascrug, Aberystwyth, with a modern structure that meets current accessibility standards. The current bridge has been in place for around 20 years and provides a vital link within Aberystwyth’s active travel network.
Crossing the Cambrian Main Line and the Vale of Rheidol railway line, the bridge connects residential areas with education, employment, leisure and retail destinations. It is a convenient and well-used route for people walking, wheeling and cycling, and any replacement structure must meet modern design standards while accommodating current and future demand.
Supported by Ymgynghoriaeth Gwynedd Consultancy (YGC) and Rural Office, Ceredigion County Council has undertaken stakeholder and public engagement throughout the development of the scheme, culminating in a public consultation held between 14 January and 25 February 2026. Three design concept options were presented. Option A proposed retaining the existing crossing location with an upgraded structure, while Options B and C proposed relocating the crossing across land forming part of the Plascrug School grounds with completely new bridge structures.
A total of 1,681 completed online and paper consultation questionnaires were received, alongside many additional detailed written responses explaining people’s preferred option and raising concerns about alternative proposals.
All responses have now been considered, and YGC has prepared a report on the outcome of the consultation. The report will be shared on the County Council’s website, and with key stakeholders.
The results show an overwhelming preference for Option A, with 95.3% of questionnaire responses supporting the proposal to retain the existing crossing location and provide an upgraded structure. This preference was also reflected in the majority of written responses favouring Option A over Options B and C and which identified a range of concerns including potential child safeguarding, visual impact and loss of ‘green’ areas within school grounds, and convenience/ travel distances.
In addition to face-to-face stakeholder engagement undertaken in mid-January, written representations were also received from several key organisations located close to the proposed options. While these organisations supported Option A, they highlighted operational considerations and sought assurance that they would continue to be involved during the detailed design stage so that concerns could be considered and addressed.
Several respondents also raised concerns about temporary severance of the route during the construction phase and urged the Council to explore temporary arrangements to help preserve access wherever possible.
County Councillor Shelley Childs, Cabinet Member for Highways and Environmental Services, said: ‘“The consultation has given us a very clear outcome with an overwhelming majority of respondents supporting Option A. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their views and help shape the future of this important active travel link.
“We have listened carefully to the feedback received, particularly the concerns raised about the alternative options and the importance of retaining a convenient, accessible route for people walking, wheeling and cycling. We will now take Option A forward for further design development and continue working closely with local stakeholders to ensure the scheme meets the needs of the community while addressing the design and delivery challenges that remain.”
Having considered the consultation feedback, the County Council has agreed that Option A should be taken forward for further design development as the preferred and most acceptable option. Welsh Government Regional Transport Fund capital grant funding, through the Mid Wales Corporate Joint Committee’s Regional Transport Plan, has been secured for this financial year to enable that work to take place.
The Council says there will need to be continued engagement and effective communication with directly affected stakeholders as the design develops, particularly in relation to access, safeguarding, temporary arrangements during construction, operational impacts and detailed accessibility requirements.
Although Option A will now progress to detailed design, any future construction remains subject to several significant factors which the Council and its consultants will now consider as part of the development of a viable scheme.
