Menai Bridge traffic management workers 'abused, harassed'

According to UK Highways A55 Ltd, which operates and maintains the bridge, the incident took place on Monday, 27 July.

The company condemned the abuse levelled at its workers and said traffic management was reinstated yesterday (July 28).

It said the latest incident "placed the welfare and safety of operatives at risk" leading to traffic management being pulled from the site.

In a statement, UK Highways A55 Ltd said: "Last night (27 July 2026), traffic management was suspended on the Menai Suspension Bridge following abuse and harassment of workers by a member of the public.

"Footage of this incident was subsequently shared on social media. Abuse directed at operatives working on the Menai Suspension Bridge has become a common feature of the Phase Two programme, however the latest incident placed the welfare and safety of operatives at risk so the decision was taken to pause operations. Our priority will always be the safety and wellbeing of our workforce and subcontractors.

"Traffic management operatives require use of their mobile phones to confirm the revenue weight of vehicles given information supplied by drivers can at times be inaccurate or understate the true weight of their vehicle. Suggestions that use of their mobile phones is indicative of a lack of attention are inaccurate," the statement continued.

"Traffic management plays a critical role in enforcing the weight limit on the Menai Suspension Bridge. It also incurs significant costs. Permanent traffic management was introduced to address repeated non-compliance with the advertised 7.5-tonne weight limit on the Menai Suspension Bridge.

"Operatives nevertheless rely on the cooperation of road users to adhere to their directions and respect the weight limit. There have been several incidents where vehicles have ignored the directions of operatives and crossed the bridge regardless."

"An overweight vehicle crossing the Menai Suspension Bridge requires a precautionary check to assess any potential damage. This is due to an additional 42-tonnes of weight on the bridge following the installation of the AeroTruss platform. The AeroTruss platform hangs below the bridge and was chosen to maximise the amount of time both lanes of traffic on the bridge are open.

"The AeroTruss platform allows access to the underside of the bridge while minimising disruption to bridge users. The alternative option would have been to install traffic lights on the bridge throughout the Phase Two programme; this would have caused far greater disruption. Following consultation with local stakeholders, the AeroTruss was determined to be the preferred option. Repeated closures have an inevitable impact on the Phase Two programme causing delays to the completion of essential maintenance and incurring additional costs.

"UK Highways A55 Ltd acknowledges the frustration that repeated bridge closures cause. Steps have been taken to reduce the risk that overweight vehicles cross the bridge and additional measures have been explored to increase compliance.

"Assessments have been made of the suitability of a scaffold height barrier, however it was determined that such a measure would pose a risk to other bridge users should it be impacted by a vehicle and could lead to much longer closures should this occur.

"Further investigations also determined that vehicles under 3m can exceed the 7.5-tonne weight limit. Other mitigation measures, such as the installation of speed cushions on the approach spans of the bridge, have proven effective at reducing the speed of vehicles on the bridge, making the worksite safer for staff following a near-miss incident.

"Harassment of traffic management operatives, who have been responsible for turning away numerous overweight vehicles, or any other member of the team tasked with delivering the Phase Two works is entirely counterproductive to the safe operation of the Menai Suspension Bridge. UK Highways A55 Ltd will continue to work closely with Welsh Government and its road agencies to determine options to protect the Grade 1-listed heritage structure and allow essential works to be carried out without disruption," the company stated.

"Traffic management will return to site on 28 July 2026. Should further harassment and non-compliance occur, referrals will be made to North Wales Police, operatives will leave the site and the bridge will be closed. It remains critical therefore that operatives and the weight limit are respected and adhered to in order to prevent extended closures."