A public meeting is set to take place next month to discuss growing concerns after Menai Suspension Bridge was closed three times in less than two weeks.
The meeting will be held at Llangefni Town Hall on Friday 12 June between 6pm and 8pm amid mounting frustration over disruption affecting residents, commuters and businesses on both sides of the Menai Strait.
Residents wishing to attend are being asked to register by emailing Janet.Finch-Saunders-MS@senedd.wales or calling 01492 871198.
The latest closure happened today following reports that an overweight vehicle had crossed the bridge, triggering emergency safety inspections.
Traffic Wales confirmed the A5 Menai Suspension Bridge was closed at around midday on 27 May. The bridge had also been subject to an emergency road closure on 26 May, while a planned closure for safety works took place between 15 and 16 May. Diversions were put in place via Britannia Bridge during the earlier closure, while pedestrians and cyclists were still able to use the bridge.
The incidents have once again highlighted concerns over the resilience and reliability of the crossing network linking Ynys Môn and Gwynedd.
The bridge remains subject to a 7.5-tonne weight restriction while extensive refurbishment and safety works continue. Welsh Government guidance states that any suspected overweight vehicle crossing may require temporary closures and inspections to ensure the structure has not been damaged.
Janet Finch-Saunders MS, Senedd Member for Bangor Conwy Môn, said the repeated closures were causing significant disruption and renewed calls for long-term investment in North Wales infrastructure.
She said:
“Another closure of Menai Bridge will be hugely frustrating for local residents and businesses who depend on this crossing every single day.
“These repeated disruptions underline the urgent need for long-term solutions to improve transport connectivity in North Wales, such as a new Menai crossing. As the new First Minister’s constituency is in Bangor Conwy Môn, I hope he will recognise the growing pressures on key infrastructure links such as the Menai Bridge crossing.
“North Wales needs serious investment in transport infrastructure to support local communities, economic growth, and future developments in the region.”
Delays to Ongoing Works
The current major refurbishment programme began in September 2023 with Phase 1 hanger replacement works on the historic structure. Those works were completed in October 2024 before Phase 2 was launched earlier last year.
However, additional structural concerns were later identified during inspections, including issues involving crossbeam bolts beneath the bridge discovered in October 2025.
Welsh Government subsequently confirmed the programme had been “re-programmed” following further engineering assessments, extending the overall timetable for the project. Earlier expectations had suggested Phase 2 works would finish during 2026, but the latest official update now states work is expected to continue until Spring 2027.
Officials say the current phase of work includes repairs to structural components beneath the roadway, repainting and strengthening works, upgrades to lighting systems and inspections linked to the bridge’s suspension structure.
Specialist underdeck scaffolding — known as the “Aerotruss” — has also been installed to allow engineers access beneath the bridge while minimising long-term disruption.
200 Years of History
Designed by renowned engineer Thomas Telford, the Menai Suspension Bridge first opened in 1826 and was the world’s first major suspension bridge built to carry road traffic.
The bridge transformed transport links between London and Holyhead and remains one of North Wales’ most recognisable landmarks almost 200 years later.
However, repeated closures in recent years — alongside ongoing concerns over congestion and resilience when either Menai crossing is disrupted — have reignited debate over the need for additional crossing capacity between Ynys Môn and the mainland.
