The incident happened when traffic management was suspended after complaints from contractors that they were facing abuse and harassment
(Image: North Wales Live)
Local residents stepped in when traffic management was suspended from one of Wales’ most historic bridges. A coach travelling from South Wales was intercepted by a member of the public as it tried to cross the 200-year-old Menai Suspension Bridge which is currently undergoing restoration work.
She halted the coach by alerting its driver to the bridge’s 7.5-tonne weight limit, introduced to protect the structure while heavy gantries hang from it. To guarantee adherence to the restriction, 24-hour supervision is typically carried out by contractors.
However, following complaints of “abuse and harassment” directed at workers, tools were set down without notice on Monday night (July 27-28), leaving the crossing between Anglesey and Gwynedd unmonitored. Always keep on top of the latest Welsh news with our newsletter
Passage of the bridge by vehicles exceeding the weight limit automatically prompts inspections necessitating the crossing’s closure. Despite extensive signage, repeated violations have caused numerous traffic jams for local motorists, leaving affected communities frustrated and anxious.
So when a 14-tonne Mercedes-Benz coach approached the unsupervised bridge on Tuesday afternoon, local residents took matters into their own hands, reports North Wales Live.
Observing the scene was Menai Bridge postman Mike Eyre, who also operates the town’s Post Office alongside wife Vicky. He said: “I was driving behind the coach, a couple of cars back, returning from the Royal Mail depot in Bangor. I sounded my car horn, quite aggressively, but the coach continued towards the bridge.
“A lady walking across the bridge managed to stop the coach – I assume its driver’s window was down and she shouted through it. To be fair, the coach driver was very apologetic.”
Mike went on: “Traffic behind us began building very quickly, so I stopped my van by the roundabout to stop more vehicles approaching the bridge. With the lady, I then helped the coach driver turn around.
“Luckily, the coach had stopped just before it reached the suspension bridge itself. It had gone under height restriction tape but when the coach reversed, the tape was brought down.
“I believe the coach driver made a genuine mistake – he thanked me for my help and said he was sorry, that it was a genuine misjudgement. Not all HGV drivers are doing it on purpose.”
The latest bridge closure, on Monday morning (July 27), occurred when a lorry driver informed bridge personnel his vehicle weighed 6.8 tonnes, placing it below the restriction. Subsequent verification by the Traffic Wales control room discovered the vehicle actually weighed approximately 15 tonnes, more than twice the permitted threshold.
UK Highways A55 Ltd, which operates and maintains the crossing, reported that some motorists are even more audacious, deliberately disregarding warnings from management personnel and proceeding across anyway.
Traffic Wales oversight means that, had the coach travelled across on Tuesday, it could have prompted a prolonged closure even without physical monitoring on site.
For many drivers, Tuesday’s need for local intervention, to prevent traffic bottlenecks on the A55 Britannia Bridge, highlighted fundamental flaws in the monitoring arrangements.
Each closure is met with growing disbelief and fury. Online, comments such as “how can drivers not see the dozens of signs?” are widespread.
On occasion, mounting frustration has been directed at personnel responsible for managing bridge traffic, resulting in this week’s walk-out.
Mike, who travels across the bridge six times daily, has some understanding for the monitoring crew, which relies on mobile phones to verify declared weights. He considers the system itself to be fundamentally flawed.
“We all make mistakes and sitting at the roadside, watching passing traffic must be, well, boring,” he said. “It’s like counting sheep to get to sleep and some staff may struggle to stay awake. Yet they are the last line of defence when it comes to protecting the bridge.
“To be fair, I cross the bridge frequently and the workers always seem to be absolutely on top of the situation. I’ve seen them stopping Waitrose vans: these are clearly under 7.5 tonnes but at least it shows they are on the case.
“However all the Menai Bridge businesses agree that better arrangements are needed, and that the Welsh Government should stop treating North Wales residents like second class citizens. These constant closures cannot be allowed to continue.”
Mike fears the problem extends beyond the immediate term, with lasting solutions potentially required. “After so many false dawns, no one believes the bridge repairs will actually be completed by the latest deadline, in spring 2027,” he said.
“Even now, there are unanswered questions, such as whether the weight restrictions will be retained when the work is finished. No one knows. As the bridge wasn’t built for HGV traffic, it seems possible – but is anyone planning for this eventuality?”.
