The iconic Menai Suspension Bridge marks its 200th anniversary this week.
Ahead of the celebrations and unveiling of a plaque Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates paid tribute to the pioneering engineer, Thomas Telford, who designed the bridge which reshaped the economic and social landscape of North Wales.
The Cabinet Secretary 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.”
The Menai Suspension Bridge was officially opened on 30 January 1826 and Thomas Telford was the first President of the Institution of Civil Engineers
