Bridgend County Borough Council has successfully bid for Welsh Government regional transport funding worth more than £3.5m to help support the cost of replacing the A4061 river bridge at Blackmill.
With the council contributing an additional £1.5m, the funding means that work to replace the bridge can now proceed.
The bridge forms part of the A4061 and supports the main route in and out of the Ogmore Valley. It was reduced to a single lane with temporary traffic lights in August 2025 after routine checks detected cracks in the main deck and the need for further repairs beneath the bridge.
The all-new main deck is undergoing a series of technical reviews, and a tendering process is being prepared to appoint a contractor who can carry out the work.
The council is also preparing to install a utilities bridge across the watercourse so that gas, water supplies and telecommunication cables can be safely diverted to enable the work to take place, and is liaising with Natural Resources Wales to mitigate any potential environmental impact.
Councillor Gary Haines and Councillor Eugene Caparros, who share the role of Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment, have both welcomed the positive news.
Councillor Eugene Caparros said: “Thanks to the additional funding from Welsh Government, we are now in a position to be able to deliver this complex engineering solution, and it is great to see that £3.5m has been awarded to support our efforts to replace the river bridge at Blackmill.
“As the A4061 is the only route in and out of the Ogmore Valley and remains consistently busy, we are keen to replace the bridge deck as quickly as possible, and to ensure the safety of all who use it on a daily basis.”
Councillor Gary Haines said: “Until work is ready to begin, we will continue to make every effort to keep disruption to an absolute minimum, and will be monitoring the temporary traffic light system carefully so that it best suits both peak and off-peak traffic flow.
“In the meantime, we want to thank residents and drivers for their patience and understanding.”
