A proposal that starts the legal process to allow lorries weighing more than 18 tonnes to use a road bridge near Llanbrynmair, is set to be agreed by a senior councillor.

On Tuesday, 3 June, Cllr Jackie Charlton the cabinet member for highways transport and recycling is expected to take a delegated decision to implement a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to remove the weight restriction from Tafolwern Fawr Bridge.

This follows work to re-deck the bridge taking place last year.

A second delegated decision is also sought to restrict the weight limit of vehicles to go over the nearby Bont Fach Bridge.

The report said: “Tafolwern Fawr Bridge which carries the C2175 over the Afon Laen has been weight restricted to 18 tonnes since 2001 due to inadequacy of the pier following a structural assessment.

“During the winter of 2023- 2024 the pier partially collapsed.

“In September and October 2024, works were carried out to replace the bridge deck, removing the need for a central pier and reinstating the structure to support standard highway loading.”

Back in 2013 a structural assessment of Bont Fach Bridge - which carries the U2303 unclassified county road over the Afon Twymyn - deemed it capable of carrying vehicles up to a maximum of 18 tonnes.

This restriction was not implemented as the weight prohibition to Tafolwern Fawr Bridge stopped vehicles getting to the smaller bridge – an alternative route was deemed to be too narrow to allow larger vehicles to get to the bridge.

The report said: “Revoking the weight limit on Tafolwern Fawr Bridge means that it is now essential to impose a permanent weight restriction to Bont Fach Bridge.

“The option to do nothing is not considered viable since it allows a risk of overloading the structure with the potential to cause damage or collapse of bridge.”