| Council proposal to build bridge over Aberystwyth school prompts safety fears Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 20:19, 24th January 2026 |     |
From the BBC:
Proposal to build bridge over school prompts safety fears
[Image from here is not available to guests]
Some parents at the school have expressed concerns about the proposal
It is a peaceful outdoor area behind a school where pupils can climb trees, toast marshmallows and take part in forest school activities.
But parents are worried that the space could be left in darkness and overlooked by passers-by, if a bridge is built over the top of it.
Ysgol Plascrug in Aberystwyth raised about £50,000 in grants to turn the muddy patch into a garden for pupils, with one mum describing how her daughter was in tears after learning of the proposal.
Ceredigion council is looking at three options for a replacement bridge linking areas of the town, with one of these stretching directly over the garden. It urged anyone with concerns to respond to a consultation.
The local authority is looking at options to replace the current bridge, which goes over railway tracks and links local schools and leisure facilities, after a storm in 2021 left it partly destroyed with parts being held up by scaffolding. Its replacement must meet modern design standards and be able to handle an expected increase in numbers walking or cycling, a planning document says.
The council said surrounding developments provide challenges, but it has come up with three designs - each with its benefits and drawbacks, it says. These are - rebuilding in the same place, or building a new bridge, either going around three sides of the school with the loss of some of the grounds, or right through the middle.
...
Local MS Elin Jones opened the area in June 2025, and said: "I've no doubt that Plascrug School needs its outdoor play area protected in full. It is already very limited. As such, I've no doubt that the railway bridge replacement should be on the current site, and not on a new site, which would considerably reduce the school's outdoor space. "
Ceredigion Preseli MP Ben Lake said: "Teachers, parents, and pupils of Ysgol Plascrug are understandably concerned that one of the options included in the consultation would see the new footbridge span their grounds and outdoor playing area. I am firmly of the opinion that the footbridge should instead be redeveloped on the footprint of the existing one, which would not only avert any disruption to the school but also command widespread support from the broader community. I shall be reiterating this opinion to the council through this consultation, and would urge all local residents to do likewise."
(BBC news article continues)
[Image from here is not available to guests]
Some parents at the school have expressed concerns about the proposal
It is a peaceful outdoor area behind a school where pupils can climb trees, toast marshmallows and take part in forest school activities.
But parents are worried that the space could be left in darkness and overlooked by passers-by, if a bridge is built over the top of it.
Ysgol Plascrug in Aberystwyth raised about £50,000 in grants to turn the muddy patch into a garden for pupils, with one mum describing how her daughter was in tears after learning of the proposal.
Ceredigion council is looking at three options for a replacement bridge linking areas of the town, with one of these stretching directly over the garden. It urged anyone with concerns to respond to a consultation.
The local authority is looking at options to replace the current bridge, which goes over railway tracks and links local schools and leisure facilities, after a storm in 2021 left it partly destroyed with parts being held up by scaffolding. Its replacement must meet modern design standards and be able to handle an expected increase in numbers walking or cycling, a planning document says.
The council said surrounding developments provide challenges, but it has come up with three designs - each with its benefits and drawbacks, it says. These are - rebuilding in the same place, or building a new bridge, either going around three sides of the school with the loss of some of the grounds, or right through the middle.
...
Local MS Elin Jones opened the area in June 2025, and said: "I've no doubt that Plascrug School needs its outdoor play area protected in full. It is already very limited. As such, I've no doubt that the railway bridge replacement should be on the current site, and not on a new site, which would considerably reduce the school's outdoor space. "
Ceredigion Preseli MP Ben Lake said: "Teachers, parents, and pupils of Ysgol Plascrug are understandably concerned that one of the options included in the consultation would see the new footbridge span their grounds and outdoor playing area. I am firmly of the opinion that the footbridge should instead be redeveloped on the footprint of the existing one, which would not only avert any disruption to the school but also command widespread support from the broader community. I shall be reiterating this opinion to the council through this consultation, and would urge all local residents to do likewise."
(BBC news article continues)
