Spencer Bridge Engineering has kicked off the second phase of essential maintenance on the Menai Suspension Bridge - involving major works in concrete repair and replacement.
Made up of six key packages, the second phase will see the team repair and maintain concrete corbels beneath the bridge's approach spans, to tackle the corrosion of the internal steel reinforcement.
Most of the corbel repair work was undertaken in 2025 via non-intrusive methods, but 15 remain to be addressed as a part of Phase 2. The work involves the removal of concrete to enable the repair or replacement of existing steel reinforcement.
Once completed, the team will move onto the parapet refurbishment, which involves installing access systems to allow sections of the parapet to be removed for future repair and maintenance.
This will then be followed by ‘the most significant package', the underdeck painting stage of the project that will also see the team install its new, bespoke modular moving access system, AeroTruss, for the first time.
Designed and developed by their in-house team, this system should enable ‘safe and efficient under-deck access' for all future painting and structural repairs.
SBE plans to install two bearing platforms at the towers of the bridge, alongside two painting platforms that will move along the deck. This is expected to take place this month, but the company does note that it is weather-dependent.
Luke Fisher, bridges director at Spencer Bridge Engineering, said: 'The system provides a number of innovative features that are of particular benefit to this project. Once installed, the platforms have an integrated encapsulation system that allows the work area to be rapidly sealed to provide an environment suitable for blasting and painting operations, retaining dust and debris within the platform. This is particularly important when working over the Menai Strait.'
Tom Inglis, project manager at Spencer Bridge Engineering, added: ‘The phase 2 works are complex and have required detailed planning to sequence the operations, to mitigate disruption for bridge users. During the planning phase, we managed to develop our methodologies, including AeroTruss, to eliminate the need for traffic management for most of the programme. Once working on the under-deck, bridge users will be unaware of our presence, despite us undertaking significant construction operations below their feet.'
Having first worked with the Welsh Government in 2020 when it was contracted to replace 73 concrete footway panels on the approach spans of the bridge, SBE has since carried out two further projects on the bridge: the installation of emergency failsafe's in January 2023, and the first phase of maintenance and repair works towards the end of 2024, which saw 186 of the bridge's 208 hangers replaced.
