Menai Bridge Urdd restrictions were temporary, with resilience plans still to come

Welsh Government’s May statement on the Menai Bridge concerned temporary arrangements during the Urdd Eisteddfod, after what it described as breaches of the existing restriction. It said only vehicles under 7.5 tonnes could use the bridge and that traffic lights would operate for the duration of the event.

What the statement required at the time

Overweight vehicles were to be turned away, with non-compliance referred to police. The government said it had increased the presence of police and Welsh Government Traffic Officers to help protect safety and keep the crossing open, and asked road users to follow instructions on site.

What remains relevant after the event

The time-limited Urdd traffic measures should not be treated as a current event restriction. The longer-term issue in the statement was resilience across the Menai Strait: Welsh Government said work had begun on short-term measures and long-term solutions, with further plans to be set out later.

For drivers and freight operators, the practical point is that the 7.5-tonne bridge limit was reiterated by the government, while the broader resilience programme had not yet been detailed in that statement.