Hull bridge works specialist Spencer Group has been selected to revitalise the Menai Suspension Bridge ahead of the structure’s bicentenary.
The Hull engineering firm, which has carried out maintenance and repair works on some of the UK’s most iconic crossings, has been awarded a series of contracts for further major refurbishment works on the historic Welsh crossing ahead of marking 200 years in 2026.
The Grade I listed structure is the second oldest operational vehicular suspension bridge in the world. Opened in 1826, it crosses the Menai Strait between the island of Anglesey and mainland North Wales.
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The primary focus of the work includes a £1.5 million restoration project to repaint the entire main span underdeck of the 417m-long bridge.
Working on behalf of client UK Highways A55 Ltd, bespoke moving gantry platforms have been designed to enable teams to access the currently unreachable element, in order to shotblast, inspect and repaint the area.
The works will begin once designs are complete and environmental approvals have been granted, as - like the firm’s Humber Estuary home - the Menai Strait is a protected Special Site of Scientific Interest and a wetland area of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Spencer will also replace the majority of the vertical road deck hangers, which suspend the deck from the main chains of the bridge. That will run throughout next summer, with the project is in the early design stages as the Spencer Group team assesses various methods and off-site manufacture of specialist components.
The £70 million turnover firm has also been appointed to strengthen pedestrian walkway handrails on both approaches. Early designs and trials are underway as the team works with heritage organisations to ensure they are in keeping with the listed status. Works are targeted to be completed later this year. A fourth project will involve Spencer upgrading and improving the bridge’s street and decorative lighting, installing a more modern, efficient and environmentally friendly LED system.
The raft of contracts come after Spencer successfully completed a project to remove, replace and then resurface the footway panels on the approach spans. It won an award for it efforts.
Luke Fisher, Spencer’s sector lead for bridges and structures, said: “We’re delighted to play a significant part in preparing the Menai Suspension Bridge for its 200th anniversary, supporting UK Highways A55 Ltd and their client, the Welsh Government, to ensure this remarkable structure looks its best for its bicentenary year and beyond.
“UK Highways A55 Ltd identified that the bridge is suffering from corrosion and needs repainting. Our industry-leading capabilities in this sector formed a significant part of the bid.
“We’re proud to have been awarded these contracts and to be given the opportunity to further demonstrate our ability to find innovative solutions to complex challenges of this nature.”
Spencer is supporting Menai Heritage Museum in Anglesey to raise awareness of both bridges over the Menai Strait, as well as the importance of civil engineering among school pupils and college students in the area. “We’re giving talks and leading bridge walks to inspire the next generation,” Mr Fisher said. A site visit this summer from Ed McCann, president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and Deborah Sims, former president of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, has also been faciitated this summer.
Kerry Evans, operations manager for UK Highways A55 Ltd, said: “As we prepare for the 200th anniversary of this magnificent structure, a series of major maintenance projects are in development. UK Highways A55 Ltd is looking forward to working with the team at Spencer Group again as we embark on the underdeck painting works and the replacement hanger project.”
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