October 08, 2026 - 225 views
Plans for a third crossing over the Menai Strait are being welcomed by business and political representatives, after the Welsh Government confirmed development work will restart on the long-discussed project.
The announcement was made by Deputy Minister for Transport Mark Hooper in the Senedd on Tuesday, following a review of the existing Menai crossings.
The Welsh Government says the review found that resilience is the key challenge for communities, businesses and travellers on Ynys Môn and across North Wales when either crossing is restricted or closed.
Development work on a third crossing will now restart, including design development, environmental assessment, preparation of a business case and the statutory approvals needed to establish a deliverable scheme.
The Government has also confirmed that work will continue on maintaining and operating the existing Menai Suspension Bridge and Britannia Bridge, alongside measures intended to improve resilience while a third crossing is developed.
The proposed three-lane tidal-flow system on Britannia Bridge will not go ahead after the review identified what the Government described as significant safety and operational concerns.
The announcement has been welcomed by the Road Haulage Association, whose managing director Richard Smith said a third crossing was "much-needed", adding that it could improve resilience and help unlock economic potential in the region.
The issue has also been welcomed by Welsh Conservatives, who have campaigned for a third crossing.
Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Bangor, Conwy and Môn, said repeated closures of the Menai Bridge had resulted in congestion and delays on the Britannia Bridge, while businesses had reported reduced footfall.
She said the third crossing would provide more resilient transport infrastructure and called for a fully funded and deliverable scheme to be progressed as quickly as possible.
The issue has been a longstanding concern for communities and businesses on Anglesey, with disruption to either of the two existing crossings having consequences for journeys on and off the island and for traffic travelling towards Holyhead and its port.
During the Senedd debate, Welsh Conservative MS Sam Kurtz said the party had long called for a third crossing and referred to support shown at a public meeting organised by Ms Finch-Saunders. He said more than 1,000 people had signed a petition calling for a third crossing within 24 hours.
However, while the latest announcement provides a commitment to restart development, it does not yet provide a construction date or final cost for the crossing.
The Welsh Government itself has stressed that announcing a third crossing is only the beginning of the process. Mr Hooper told the Senedd that major infrastructure could not be delivered simply by making an announcement and that development work was needed to move towards a proposal that could ultimately be delivered.
The Government says the third crossing is currently regarded as the most effective option for improving resilience and providing additional capacity across the Menai Strait.
In the meantime, investment will continue in the existing crossings, including measures on Britannia Bridge such as wind deflectors and variable speed limits.
For North Wales, the announcement marks a significant change in direction after years of discussion about whether a third crossing should be built. The immediate focus will now be on the design, environmental work, business case and approvals needed before a final construction decision can be taken.
