Over several decades, an extension of the A55 dual carriageway across North Wales was worked upon to transform travel in the region. However, 25 years on from its completion, the road continues to be a persistent source of frustration for the many who use it.
The final Anglesey section was completed in 2001, creating an almost unbroken dual carriageway stretching from the English border to Holyhead port. Yet, perhaps owing to its piecemeal construction, the road has been described as something of a Frankenstein’s monster – in some respects resembling a high-speed motorway, but lacking a number of vital features.
It has also been branded “not fit for purpose” and, while no Welsh Government was involved in its construction, the majority of the A55 has fallen under their jurisdiction since 1999.
Minor improvements have been made over the past two decades, but the major upgrades have failed to emerge; pushed even further into the long grass by the previous Labour-led Welsh Government, whose priorities lay in reducing traffic levels, reports North Wales Live.
Below is a wishlist of A55 improvements that could dramatically enhance the driving experience along the route.
Deeside Corridor
This is largely an A494/A55 issue and rivals the Britannia Bridge as the most significant bottleneck between the border and Holyhead.
Even under normal conditions, this stretch becomes congested during peak periods, and it takes very little for a minor incident to escalate into a significant tailback. Plans to address this issue have been proposed.
Properties were even purchased and demolished on Aston Hill for a road-widening scheme that was subsequently abandoned.
The latest ‘solution’ to progress was a new 13km two-lane dual carriageway connecting the A55-A5119 Northop junction (junction 33) with the A494 and A550 north of Deeside Parkway junction, via Kelsterton interchange and the Flintshire Bridge. Approximately £4m was invested in developing the £300m ‘red route’ – or Flintshire Corridor – before it fell victim to the government’s roads review and was axed in 2023.
The issue remains unresolved and, if anything, is likely to deteriorate in coming years as road traffic is still forecast to rise despite initiatives to encourage greater use of public transport.
This could mean those ‘red route’ proposals – fiercely opposed by some – are revisited in future years or an alternative plan brought forward.
It’s unlikely to be an immediate priority for the new Plaid-led Welsh Government, but Welsh Labour’s new leader Ken Skates has consistently been a strong advocate and may place it back on the agenda for the next Senedd election.
Roundabouts
In comparison to some of the challenges along the A55, the roundabouts at Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan are more minor nuisances than significant problems.
They don’t truly belong on a high-speed European route but also don’t create the daily frustrations of the Britannia Bridge crossing further along. It appears this ought to be a straightforward solution, but replacing them with safe and appropriate slip road junctions is more expensive and disruptive than many might expect.
This was another scheme that was advanced and subsequently abandoned – and only after Welsh Government had already invested £9m in the project.
The total expenditure was projected to be approximately £75m, though that figure will have escalated since then. Unlikely to see any progress on this one during the current Senedd term.
Third lane/hard shoulder
Traffic levels since the A55 was “completed” at the beginning of the 2000s have risen considerably. Welsh Government statistics reveal that between 2001 and 2025, Wales traffic volumes grew from roughly 25bn km per year to 30.9 billion km – an increase of 24%.
Yet the capacity of the route has stayed the same. Throughout the years there have been consistent demands for a third lane to establish a motorway standard route – or at minimum an expansion of the existing hard shoulders, with only a handful of sections of the expressway currently having them.
Serious incidents will invariably result in carriageways being closed – whether there are two or three lanes or hard shoulders – but at present any breakdown or very minor accident typically results in the route being reduced to one lane and the unavoidable delays this creates.
There is also a safety concern here with the vehicle/s being in a precarious position during the period before any emergency assistance arrives. Building a motorway-standard route across the region would represent an enormous project – both financially and in terms of its effect on the communities through which the road runs.
It’s not a feasible proposition, though there may be sections of the expressway where additional lanes could be incorporated.
A similar situation exists regarding a hard shoulder – there are stretches of the road where this could be added. There’s little doubt this would help reduce the frequency of disruptions along the expressway – issues that during busy periods can result in lengthy delays.
However, installing hard shoulders on further parts of the A55 is perhaps not the significant political achievement during an era of tight budgets. A more economical alternative might be creating additional emergency refuge areas for vehicles encountering difficulties.
Incremental improvements could be achieved in the coming years, but for the present, attention will probably remain on the more substantial challenges facing the A55.
New Menai crossing
The ‘new’ bridge spanning the Menai Strait dates back to 1850 – predating motor vehicles. The Robert Stephenson Britannia crossing was constructed for rail and only became a road crossing in 1980 after a deck was installed as part of an extensive two-tier reconstruction scheme following a devastating fire in 1970.
An extra crossing has been on the political agenda for numerous years. Back in 2017, the Welsh Government indicated a new bridge could be operational by 2021.
A number of options were considered before the so-called ‘purple route’ across the Menai Strait was announced in 2018 by then First Minister Carwyn Jones. The proposal would have seen a new bridge constructed to the east of the existing Britannia.
The timeline subsequently shifted, with construction scheduled to begin in 2021 at an estimated cost of £135m.
However, deadlines were missed and then the pandemic struck. The post-pandemic Welsh Government then changed course entirely – placing a hold on all major road schemes pending a review – putting the fight against climate change at the forefront of its decision-making.
The resulting report concluded that the A55 Third Menai Crossing “should not proceed”.
It stated: “The case for change is not well-aligned with Welsh Government’s aim to reduce car mileage. The scheme would lead to increased traffic and carbon dioxide emissions, and a mode shift from public transport to car travel, inconsistent with the target to increase sustainable transport mode share.”
This proved a crushing setback for those who championed a new crossing — including the thousands of motorists who traverse the Menai Strait daily, frequently on multiple occasions.
The situation has been further complicated in recent years as the Menai Suspension Bridge has been beset by ongoing repair and maintenance problems. It was shut abruptly in October 2022 when safety concerns were first identified, remaining closed until February 2023.
But this was merely the beginning of the difficulties. The repair and maintenance schedule has been prolonged as fresh problems emerged, with work not expected to finish until 2027.
This has resulted in closures, weight restrictions and traffic lights – which have consequently placed extra strain on the Britannia Bridge.
Beyond the troublesome delays and disruption, there exists a more severe worry. That is Anglesey’s dependence on two crossings that are either side of 200 years old.
A new nuclear facility at the Wylfa location will only intensify the burden on the current routes.
A third crossing was put in the crawler lane under the previous Welsh Government, but the new administration appears eager to prioritise this within their transport agenda.
This is aided by the fact that Ynys Mon and Gwynedd are core areas for Plaid Cymru – with the island being home to First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth and the party holding three of the six seats in the Bangor Conwy Môn constituency.
They have already indicated that a third crossing is back under consideration, with an update expected this autumn. The transport minister has declared that this and the M4 are his two principal highway priorities.
Financing the project – with costs likely to have soared since last estimated – will be the challenge.
It’s regrettable that the chance to advance this when EU funding was available was not seized – given this is a crucial European route. The UK Government will also recognise the broader national significance of this connection to Ireland.
The nuclear project and the necessity to upgrade power links are additional factors that could encourage the UK Government to collaborate with the Welsh Government on this matter.
Such a proposal would almost certainly command cross-party support – with the possible exception of the Greens – suggesting the political will is likely in place.
Whether the money will follow is the multi-million dollar question.
