Chepstow’s Old Wye Bridge Shut Immediately After Engineers Find “Significant Risk”

A historic bridge in Chepstow has been closed with immediate effect after engineers discovered new cracks that pose a “significant risk” to anyone crossing it.

Monmouthshire County Council confirmed that the Old Wye Bridge, which links Bridge Street to Castleford Hill, has now been shut to all users, including pedestrians. The decision follows urgent safety advice from specialist engineers who inspected the structure this week.

The cast‑iron bridge has already been closed to traffic for several months while detailed inspections were carried out. But during the latest assessment, engineers identified several new cracks in the structure, prompting an immediate safety warning.

According to the council, experts advised that the bridge could no longer be considered safe for pedestrians due to the deterioration.

Closure implemented on March 27

The council said a team was being deployed on the evening of March 27 to secure the site and put the full closure in place. Officials will continue working with structural engineers to assess the damage and determine what repairs or long‑term solutions are required.

Further updates are expected once the full condition of the bridge has been evaluated.