The Menai Bridge has faced several temporary closures this week following non-compliance with weight restrictions and the removal of traffic management after a member of the public abused staff on site. 

UK Highways A55, the company responsible for managing and maintaining the bridge under a Design, Build, Finance & Operate (DBFO) contract, stated that operations were halted on Monday evening following ‘the latest incident' that placed the welfare and safety of its staff at risk.

It added that abuse directed at its staff has become ‘a common feature' during the second phase of maintenance work currently being carried out on the Grade I-listed bridge.

In a statement, it stated: ‘Our priority will always be the safety and wellbeing of our workforce and subcontractors.'

There had been accusations that staff were showing a ‘lack of attention' due to their phones, but UK Highways A55 stated that this was ‘inaccurate', adding that ‘traffic management operatives require use of their mobile phones to confirm the revenue weight of vehicles'.

The importance of being able to verify vehicle weight was highlighted earlier the same day, when a 15-tonne vehicle crossed the bridge and forced its temporary closure during rush hour.

Reports suggest the driver of the vehicle, which was double the maximum weight restriction of 7.5 tonnes, may have given inaccurate information on the weight.

UK Highways A55 highlighted that the traffic management was introduced to address ‘repeated non-compliance' with the restrictions. It added that operatives ‘rely on the cooperation of road users', but there have been ‘several incidents where vehicles have ignored the directions of operatives and crossed the bridge regardless'.

Traffic management has since been reintroduced to the bridge, but the company has stated that ‘should further harassment and non-compliance occur, referrals will be made to North Wales Police, operatives will leave the site and the bridge will be closed'.

‘It remains critical,' it concluded, ‘that operatives and the weight limit are respected and adhered to in order to prevent extended closures.'