Bridge work to start in autumn

The bridge will link the railway station and town centre

Work on a new £1.5m footbridge spanning the River Tywi at Carmarthen is set to start in the autumn.

Councillors in Carmarthenshire have given planning permission for the new landmark that will link the railway station with the town centre.

The town's civic society feared the bridge would be a blot on the landscape.

But the structure, which will be funded as part of a £2m Welsh assembly transport package, had the backing of Carmarthen Chamber of Commerce.

This is a development that will improve links between the railway station and the shops

Ron Mounsey

The council's executive board member for environment, Pam Palmer, said: "This is an excellent scheme which will provide easy access to and from the railway station and improve links to the town.

"It will make a real difference to people and is part of the council's commitment to improving the way we live and work in Carmarthenshire."

If everything goes to plan the bridge will be open in January 2004.

Chamber of commerce chairman Ron Mounsey said: "This is a development that will improve links between the railway station and the shops.

"We believe this will be very good for business."

Since plans were first drawn up the bridge has been redesigned to try and make it fit in with its surroundings.

A £100,000 feasibility study was carried out into the project and a public exhibition held to gauge local opinion.

But a spokeswoman for the Carmarthen Civic Society said: "Although the new design is much lighter, the bridge in its present position will not only seriously impinge on the historic view of the town but will also affect the view looking down from the castle."