The Welsh Government has announced that a temporary traffic order lasting up to 12 months will be made for the Menai bridge, which is set to remain closed to road vehicles until at least next year.
The devolved administration has revealed the reason for last month's decision to close the historic suspension bridge, which connects Anglesey to the rest of Wales, as ‘a potential issue with the bridge span hangers’, discovered during detailed technical analysis.
A 7.5 tonne weight restriction had already been put in place in June 2022, which officials said had enabled further analysis to be carried out on the suspended span hangers and a hanger replacement programme to be established.
However, ITV news reported that the defect was first identified in the 1990s. Welsh Conservative shadow transport minister Natasha Asghar MS called this ‘an absolute disgrace’.
She said: ‘For over 20 years, successive Labour governments have failed to act in the knowledge that the Menai Bridge had this defect.
‘Labour ministers must come forward at outline what they knew about the state of the bridge and when. Crucially, why wasn’t more regular work undertaken to prevent the bridge falling into this state?’
The Welsh Government said that bridge operator UK Highways A55 Ltd was looking at options that will allow the bridge to re-open quickly and safety and that it was likely that temporary hanger strengthening works would be carried out, with the bridge re-opening in early 2023.
Officials said last week that a temporary traffic order would be put in place on Friday (18 November) to cover a 12-month period.
They added: ‘This temporary order allows works on the bridge to take place during this period and does not mean that the road over the A5 Menai Suspension Bridge will be closed for the duration of this period. Whilst this order is in place pedestrians and dismounted cyclists will still be able to cross the bridge via the footway.’
All other vehicles are being diverted to the Britannia Bridge.
The Welsh Government's plans for a third Menai crossing have been part of its roads review, which has now completed with its findings given to ministers.
