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Gower road reopens after repair of sinkhole

Credit: Swansea Council

A main road through Gower has reopened to motorists following the completion of emergency repairs to a large sinkhole.

Swansea Council closed a section of the A4118 between Penmaen and the turn-off to Oxwich at the beginning of October after discovering part of the road surface had subsided.

Contractors and specialist geotechnical consultants have been on site since, in an effort to repair the road and get it reopened as quickly as possible.

The cause of the subsidence was found to have been caused by surface water running off the adjacent farmland and was complicated by the presence of voids in the rock beneath the road.

The repairs have included the creation of a new drainage system to help direct water away from the road surface.

Mark Thomas, Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement & Infrastructure Management, said: “Early fears that the subsidence has been caused by the large voids deep in the ground were fortunately not the case. However, running water had created some smaller voids much nearer the road surface and it was this issue that had caused the problem.

“We also needed to develop a new drainage system so that the problem did not return.

“I’m pleased we have now been able to reinstate the road, which our contractors have done as quickly as possible.

“I’d like to thank motorists for the patience they have shown while we have completed these works and also thank our highways staff for the hard work and effort put in to get the road open again.”