North Wales communities celebrate Menai Suspension Bridge 200th anniversary

max taylor - journalist

The 30^th of January 2026 marks 200 years since the opening of the world’s first modern suspension bridge.

Menai suspension bridge is as practical as it is iconic, connecting the island of Anglesey to Wales’ mainland across the Menai strait.

The bridge, designed by Scottish civil engineer Thomas Telford, serves as a faster route from Holyhead to London.

Bangor University recently partnered with Menai Bridge Community Heritage Trust to host a public to celebrate the history and impact of the bridge while unveiling a plaque to mark its milestone anniversary.

Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales paid homage to Telford, the first President of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

He said: “For two centuries, the Menai Suspension Bridge has been a lifeline for residents, a strategic gateway for our economy, and a celebrated landmark for Wales and the wider engineering profession.

“This bicentenary is a celebration not only of the bridge itself but of the generations of engineers, craftspeople, inspectors, and workers who have cared for it.

“The bicentenary plaque being unveiled today honours both the genius of Telford and the continuing engineering effort required to protect this historic asset.

“Maintaining the bridge today and safeguarding it for future generations is our responsibility. Our priority has always been and remains to safeguard this iconic bridge for the future.

“We continue to invest in the maintenance and preservation of the Menai Suspension Bridge.

“Phase Two works are ongoing, with UK Highways A55 Ltd and their contractors undertaking extensive inspection, strengthening, and refurbishment activity to ensure the structure’s long-term safety and performance.”

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