Commission’s 10 ideas to improve Menai crossing – but no new bridge

The North Wales Transport Commission has published its interim report into the problems, opportunities, and challenges for the region’s transport network. Lord Terry Burns, former Permanent Secretary of the UK Treasury, was given the task of leading the year long review and to develop recommendations for road, rail, bus and active travel across the whole of North Wales.

After a backlash against the decision to halt proposals for a third Menai crossing after a recommendation from the Roads Review Panel^[1], the commission’s remit was extended to identify options for improving connectivity across the Menai Strait between Anglesey^[2] (Ynys Môn) and Gwynedd.

They have now delivered their interim report – including a sub-section on the crossings over the Menai. This includes 10 options to be considered further.

The list – laid out in full at the bottom of the story – includes three lanes on the A55 over the Britannia Bridge, wind deflectors on the same stretch, better public services between Ynys Môn and Gwynedd and a reconfiguration of junctions adjacent to Britannia bridge.

The report states: “At this stage, and in keeping with our approach to make the infrastructure that is already available work better, it is the view of the Commission that the current bridges can be made more resilient, and we are looking at options that can achieve this.

“We will also examine additional work which is being carried out in partnership with Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn, Cyngor Gwynedd and Transport for Wales to improve connections to and from Ynys Môn.”

The vulnerability of the crossing was brought home in recent months with the closure of the Menai Suspension Bridge over safety fears. This has increased the pressure for a third bridge – which could cost around £400m.

In response to the report, Rhun ap Iorwerth, Member of the Senedd for Ynys Môn said: “Whilst I welcome the number of immediate steps proposed by the Commission to improve the resilience, safety and active travel provisions of our existing Menai crossings – many of which I too have called for – it is disappointing that there is still no acknowledgment of the more long term resilience issues we face.

Ynys Mon MS Rhun ap Iorwerth

“Our recent experiences have proven just how vulnerable our infrastructure is in terms of the Menai crossings. I’m clear that we need a more robust crossing, and that the solution is to dual the Britannia bridge, or to erect a third crossing, and I will keep making that case to Welsh Government.”

He also raised the issue of the crossing in the Senedd this week with Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change. He said: “Welsh Government must resolve this situation in terms of resilience. I’ve written to the Minister, recommending, as an initial step – although we do need that third crossing – having a zipper system in place on the Britannia bridge to control traffic flow.”

Mr Waters said: “We absolutely are looking at the issues that Rhun ap Iorwerth sets out. As he knows, we’ve asked the Burns commission specifically to look on this. We have also commissioned a study into resilience and traffic flow issues on the Britannia bridge, and the potential impact this will have on the carriage layout.

“We specifically looked, as he has suggested, at the examples of the Golden Gate zipper bridge, and the Tamar crossing. And in fact, we’ve been in touch with the company, Tamar Crossings, and National Highways, who operate the tidal flow of traffic on the Tamar bridge and the Saltash tunnel in Plymouth.

“And traffic and operational information that we’ve gathered has been passed on to the north Wales transport commission for them to consider. So, I agree with him—I think the zipper situation looks interesting and, potentially, very useful in the context of Ynys Môn, and that work is ongoing.”

List of the options being considered by the Commission:

• Three lane running or tidal flow on Britannia bridge.

• Reconfiguration of A55^[5] junctions adjacent to Britannia bridge.

• Provision for active travel on Britannia bridge.

• Priority for active travel on the Menai Suspension bridge.

• High quality, continuous active travel paths on both sides of the Menai connecting communities to the bridges and key destinations.

• Travel planning in partnership with major public and private sector organisations.

• Cycle hire schemes including e-bikes.

• Priority for active travel and buses on the bridges.

• High frequency bus services connecting Ynys Mon and Gwynedd^[6].

• Rail and bus-based park and ride including electric vehicle charging points.

• Wind deflectors on Britannia bridge

The report will now go out to consultation before a final report is published.

Sign up for our twice daily North Wales Live newsletter here^[7]

References

1. ^{^} after a recommendation from the Roads Review Panel (www.dailypost.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Anglesey (www.dailypost.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Welsh Government: Reward migrants who work in Wales and give asylum seekers jobs (www.dailypost.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Valentine’s Day roads’ massacre a bridge too far for the people of North Wales (www.dailypost.co.uk)
5. ^{^} A55 (www.dailypost.co.uk)
6. ^{^} Gwynedd (www.dailypost.co.uk)
7. ^{^} Sign up for our twice daily North Wales Live newsletter here (www.dailypost.co.uk)