South Wales Evening Post - 4 December 2008
Two of Swansea's landmark bridges are at the centre of a bizarre stand- off between the council and the Assembly.
Swansea Council has refused legally to adopt the Sail Bridge and the Trafalgar Bridge over the Tawe which were built by the Assembly four years ago.
Despite plans for the council to adopt the structures it has not done so, and has yet to return the £500,000-plus it was given.
The authority has said there is "remedial" work on both bridges which needs to be completed before it will adopt them as part of the public highway.
However, the Assembly says that it will put the £500,000 into a maintenance fund for the bridges once the council hands it back.
A spokesman for the council said: "Both the Sail Bridge and the Trafalgar Bridge are owned by the Assembly Government.
"A joint inspection of the bridges by the council and the bridge owners has identified some remedial works which need to be completed before the council can formally adopt them.
"The bridges will be adopted legally and form part of the public highway once the identified work is completed.
"The funding initially provided for the future maintenance of these bridges will be returned to the Assembly Government."
The Sail Bridge footbridge, linking the SA1 development with the Dylan Thomas Centre and the city centre, has become a symbol of Swansea, and regularly appears in promotional materials for the city.
The less dramatic Trafalgar Bridge — named to commemorate the city's contribution to the famous sea battle — crosses the river by the barrage and the lock gates on the River Tawe.
In March 2005, the Assembly gave the council £539,259 for the adoption of the bridges.
An Assembly spokeswoman said: "The council has decided not to adopt the bridges and when that sum is returned it will be put into a maintenance account to cover the ongoing cost of maintaining both bridges.
"A report commissioned by the Assembly Government in August last year identified a programme of work for the bridges, together with costings, and we will be in a position to carry out that work when the commuted sum is repaid.
"The Assembly Government has carried out regular maintenance work on the bridges since their construction in December 2004," she added.
"Maintenance work on the opening section of the Trafalgar Bridge is carried out by Swansea Council and paid for by the Assembly Government."
