North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has this week called on the Welsh Government to provide an update on proposals for improved connections across the Menai Strait.
In 2007, the Welsh Government carried out a consultation over proposals that included eight options for easing traffic congestion to and from Anglesey, including a new bridge.
Reports were published in 2008, 2009, 2011, and a strategic business case was submitted in 2016, which found the scheme would meet local and national needs, including journey times, reliability and access for non-vehicle road users. This need has been intensified by the announcement of the Anglesey Freeport.
However, last year the Welsh Government announced it was scrapping dozens of road-building projects, including plans for a Third Menai Bridge.
Speaking in Tuesday’s Business Statement, Mr Isherwood called for an update on proposals for improved connections across the Menai Strait, emphasising that Isle of Anglesey County Council have called for the Welsh Government to adopt a policy position that “a third Menai crossing is essential to safeguard the medium to long-term social and economic future of Anglesey and the mainland, in accordance with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015”.
He said:
“Following the publication of the North Wales Transport Commission's December 2023 report, 'Improving the Resilience of Connections Across the Menai Strait', and the Isle of Anglesey County Council Executive's subsequent consideration of this last week, the Council has concluded that the Commission’s findings are inadequate to resolve the ‘lack of resilience’ deemed to exist in respect of the current Menai crossings.
“They therefore propose that the Welsh Government rejects its conclusions and recommendations, and adopts a policy position that a third Menai crossing is essential to safeguard the medium to long-term social and economic future of Anglesey and the mainland, in accordance with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.”
Responding, the Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt MS, insisted that the Welsh Government is “committed to improving the resilience of the Menai crossings” and said she agrees with the view that access to and from the mainland is about more than transport.
She added:
“We understand the Commission had discussions with the North Wales emergency services about the impact of disruption and closures on their ability to deliver essential services effectively. And, of course, issues arising from accidents and weather events and how to alleviate impact are key issues for the Commission in making its recommendations, and, of course, as they have moved forward, to set out a series of improvements that could be made and monitored before consideration of a third crossing. So, they're procuring, shortly, detailed feasibility work on a number of these recommendations, in terms of the Menai crossings.”
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Isherwood added:
“When I met with Ynys Môn's MP, Virginia Crosbie, and businesses in the Menai Bridge area last June, they again emphasised to us the need for a third Menai Crossing. However, the North Wales Transport Commission were required to provide options that aligned with the Welsh Government’s response to the Roads Review Panel’s recommendations.”
