A 200 YEAR old Welsh suspension bridge which closed amid “serious” public safety concerns is “on schedule” to open at the end of next week.
The Menai Bridge, known in Welsh as Pont y Borth, links Anglesey to the main land of North Wales and closed suddenly on October.
Emergency works, which began on January 5, will be completed in the 4-week timeframe with the bridge expected to reopen to restricted loads by midnight (00:01hrs) on Thursday, February 2.
Phase one of temporary mitigation has seen work to strengthen the historic bridge’s hangers.
The Welsh Government and UK Highways A55 Ltd, alongside engineering firms Spencer Group and COWI, today said they are continuing to “work closely” to develop a plan for longer term remedial work to take place, with minimal disruption, to bring the Menai Suspension Bridge back to full capacity.
This work is anticipated to start in late summer.
The Deputy Minister for Climate Change with responsibility for Transport, Lee Waters said;
“Despite the challenging weather conditions, I am pleased that we’ve been able to complete this extremely important and complex piece of remedial work on time.
“I would like to thank the local community and everybody that has been affected by the closure of the bridge for their patience during this time.”
This morning Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd (MS) for Ynys Môn, Tweeted and put on Facebook this morning (Friday) that the repairs were “still on schedule to be opened with a 7.5 tonne limit by the end of next week.”
It is understood that traffic lights and single lane operation will be in place and more permanent work to fully reopen the bridge is scheduled for the summer.
