A 30-day road closure along the A493 in Machynlleth is set to begin this weekend, as services and residents brace for a month of disruptions.

Starting on February 11, a stretch of the A493 front of Dyfi Cottages will be closed for a period of 30 days to allow for works to the newly opened Dyfi Bridge.

For some people, such as those travelling between Machynlleth and Pennal, a diversion of over 40 miles will be in place, raising concerns around transport, traffic and access to medical facilities.

Dyfi Valley Health practice manager Lucy Cookman said: “This is a significant event and will cause delays in health care and increased stress and uncertainty for several patients.

OTHER NEWS:

“However, we can provide remote health care, and, with working with us, we hope the disruption to those individuals will be minimal. We will work with affected patients to ensure they get the healthcare they need.”

Machynlleth based bus company Lloyds Coaches has assured passengers that services will be running as normal for the duration of the closure.

Get in touch

Share your views on this story by sending a letter to the editor. To get in touch email news@countytimes.co.uk, or fill in the form on this section of our website.

Posting on social media, they said: “During the closure of the Old Dyfi Bridge, Service X29 / G21 will operate to a normal timetable

“Buses will run from Dolgellau, Tywyn and Aberdyfi to the Northern side of the bridge where passengers will be escorted to a Shuttle Bus by foot, on the Southern side of the bridge which will continue to Machynlleth Clock and vice versa.”

In January, Machynlleth based hotel Plas Dolguog announced that it would be offering rooms to locals affected for cost-only weekday stays, hoping to provide a space closer to schools and places of work, cutting down travel times and costs for anyone in need of it during the closure.

Plas Dolguog manager Stephanie Windsor-Lewis said: “I appreciate that lots of information was given during the consultation as we had plenty of notice, but I don’t think enough solutions were provided.

"It’s fallen on locals to make those solutions as the diversion simply isn’t viable.”

The closure is to facilitate Griffiths Ltd’s work, complicated by the fact stretch of road in front of Dyfi Cottages is narrow and congested with several underground public utility services including a high-pressure water main, electricity and communication cables, which reportedly limits the available route for the drainage works to the centre of the road.

A deep excavation is also needed to carry out the drainage improvement work and the safety measures to protect the workforce and public during excavation, meaning that almost the full width of the carriageway is required for the work.