Leading bridges repair and renovation specialist Spencer Bridge Engineering is delivering the second phase of essential maintenance works on the historic Menai Suspension Bridge.
Spencer Bridge Engineering will deliver critical maintenance to the bridge’s corbels, land saddles, parapets and underdeck to help safeguard the Grade I listed structure for decades to come.
First opened in 1826, the historic bridge is a crucial road link between mainland Wales and the Isle of Anglesey, and is the second oldest suspension bridge in the world still carrying vehicle traffic.
Spencer Bridge Engineering has been carrying out a series of works over the past four years to revitalise the crossing ahead of its 200th anniversary year. Currently, Spencer’s teams are applying new coats of paint to all of the bridge’s hangers to protect them from the elements and making all the necessary preparations ahead for the start of underdeck painting works.
The new project will see Spencer Bridge Engineering carry out repair works on 15 of the bridge’s corbels – concrete beams which support the footway on the approach spans. During phase one, the team were able to repair 45 of the 60 corbels using rope access, but the remaining 15 require intrusive works to be carried out on site.
During the underdeck painting stage of the project, Spencer Bridge Engineering will deploy its innovative new modular moving access system for the first time.
Named AeroTruss, this is an innovative access system which has been developed and designed by Spencer Bridge Engineering’s expert in-house team to address common issues associated with temporary access systems in the current marketplace, and is a game-changing development.
The new work programme has also been optimised using new data and experience from phase one, particularly the challenging weather conditions of the Menai Strait.
Luke Fisher, Bridges Director for Spencer Bridge Engineering, said: “We’re delighted to be continuing our successful partnership with UK Highways A55 Ltd to restore this iconic bridge and ensure it can remain in use for decades to come.
“This project is particularly exciting for us as it’s the first time we are using our new AeroTruss system, which has been in development for over three years.
“With over 25 years’ experience in the bridges sector, we’ve become familiar with some of the common issues faced while working on high-level structures, so we’ve developed AeroTruss to address these issues and ensure we can provide clients with the most efficient, high-quality service, while protecting the historic structures we’re working on.”
As part of their commitment to deliver for Anglesey and North Wales, UKH and Spencer Bridge Engineering continue to engage and appoint local resource to support the work programmes where possible, including a significant proportion of the hanger painting technicians being recruited from the local area.
UKH remains engaged with local communities to advance plans for the 200th anniversary celebrations for the bridge next year.
A spokesperson for UKH said: “We are excited to have commenced phase two works for the Menai Suspension Bridge.
“We are confident in the robust planning, design and execution of this programme, to provide safe and resilient infrastructure for the communities of North Wales for decades to come and breathe new life into this iconic heritage asset.”
Spencer Bridge Engineering, along with UK Highways A55 Ltd and the Welsh Government, are grateful to the local community on both sides of the Menai Strait for their continued support during the works programme.
