Anglesey: Shop hit by bridge closure demands financial help

New measures will try to ease congestion on Britannia bridge (top) after the Menai bridge (bottom) shut suddenly

Businesses affected by the closure of one of two bridges between Anglesey and the mainland "need financial support now", a shop owner has said.

The Menai suspension bridge was shut to all traffic last month over safety concerns.

A pet shop owner said it had left some businesses on the island "on the brink of closing".

The Welsh government said free parking and new traffic flows would cut congestion on the remaining road link.

Lee Waters, the Welsh government's deputy minister for climate change, said: "We understand people's frustrations and the inconvenience and disruption caused to the local community.

"The consequences of (the bridge) failing would be catastrophic, so we're putting people's safety first."

Hauliers have called the closure a "nightmare", while businesses have reported a drop in trade.

Mr Waters will announce free parking in the town of Menai Bridge from 1 December to support shops, cafes and businesses, while traffic flow changes to reduce pressure on the only open road link - the Britannia Bridge - would be made.

• Island's only bridge to close for periods at night

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Lesley Jones from Pip's Pet Supplies in Benllech told BBC Radio Wales Anglesey council normally offers free parking in December to help small businesses.

"I don't really understand what [the] measures... are actually offering businesses," she said. "We need financial support now. During Covid we had 100% rebate on our rates. We are not being offered anything like that."

The 200-year-old Menai Bridge is one of two bridges linking Anglesey with the mainland

Since the bridge closure, Ms Jones said, the high street had been "empty".

"It was like someone literally switching a light switch off," she explained. "We have no contingency funds... some businesses are on the brink of closing."

Mr Waters said free parking would encourage people on Anglesey to do their Christmas shopping on the island.

"We're hoping the effects will be for a very brief period, and that by the end of January, the bridge can be reopened," he added.

Britannia Bridge will also get extra bus stops, so users can walk across if there is a traffic jam.

The under-repair Menai suspension bridge will be opened to police, fire and ambulance service in cases of a life-threatening emergency.

"We have been working closely with the organisation which maintains the bridges - UK Highways A55 Ltd - as well as Anglesey council and Cyngor Gwynedd (Gwynedd council) to introduce these measures," Mr Waters said.

"They will help alleviate people's concerns and ensure disruption is kept to a minimum as essential work continues on the Menai suspension bridge."

It is hoped new traffic flow measures will reduced congestion on Britannia Bridge

But Ms Jones said the plan to get Menai suspension bridge open again was still unclear.

"The times I've been passing, I've certainly not seen any action on the bridge so we don't know," she said. "We certainly need a light at the end of the tunnel, at the moment its just darkness.

"We don't know if it will be closed a month, a year, we just have no idea," she added. "It's so important that communication is given by the powers that be so we can at least put a plan in place to see if we can survive this."

The Plaid Cymru MS for Ynys Môn, Rhun ap Iorwerth, said his constituents had also expressed frustration about a "lack of communication".

Rhun ap Iowerth said his constituents were frustrated about the bridge closure

"We're told work will begin 'soon', that the bridge will reopen 'early in the new year', that help is being 'considered' for business, and that 'options' for traffic alleviation are being studied," he said.

"It's not good enough and in the absence of actual news and regular updates, people will assume nothing's happening."

The leader of Anglesey Council, Llinos Medi, said she was "pleased" to see the support measures introduced.

Congestion has been a problem on the A55 following the closure of Menai suspension bridge

"We are currently analysing the results from a recent online survey shared with local businesses, which will enable us to continue working with Welsh government on further support, if needed," she said.

Ms Medi stressed the town of Menai Bridge is "very much open for business" and she encouraged "residents and visitors to visit... and support local businesses in the area".

Tests on the Menai suspension bridge during October showed a problem with its hangars - metal rods that drop down from the suspension chains and hold the road deck in place.

It was found they could snap if several heavy vehicles had to do an emergency stop on the bridge at the same time.