Menai bridge reopened with statement issued

More delays for A55 drivers, especially those heading east.

Sheer weight of traffic is causing hold-ups along the Expressway, with queues from Conwy on towards Flintshire.

Pinchpoints include

Penmaenbach Tunnel

• Conwy Tunnel
• Colwy Bay
• Pentre Halkyn
• Ewloe Green

Due to slow traffic on the eastbound A55 between J17 Conwy and J22 Old Colwyn, traffic control measures have been put in place through the tunnels.

North Wales Police was approached for details of this morning's bridge closure, described by Traffic Wales as resulting from a 'police incident'.

The force said it wasn't involved and the closure wasn't police related.

We approached Traffic Wales for clarification. We were referred to the Welsh Government.Cardiff has now has been asked for clarification.

[Eastbound A55 queues on Anglesey]

Eastbound A55 queues on Anglesey(Image: Traffic Wales)

At one stage eastbound A55 traffic was being delayed 23 minutes trying to cross the Britannia Bridge.

And although the supension bridge has reopened, it's taking a while to clear the backlogs at a time when traffic volumes are increasing anyway.

On both approaches to the bridge, traffic is tailing back with extra trevel times estimated at up to 12 minutes.

[Westbound A55 traffic queues on the Gwynedd side]

Westbound A55 traffic queues on the Gwynedd side(Image: Traffic Wales)

Traffic Wales has said the suspension bridge is now back open.

However it may take some time for backlogs to clear and queues to die down.

[Congestion map]

Congestion map

Hold-ups are particularly severe on the Anglesey side of the A55 Britannia Bridge.

Traffic websites indicate delays of up to 17 minutes for traffic trying to cross to the north Wales mainland.

The situation is better for vehicles heading the other way, towards Anglesey - extra travel times are estimated at three minutes.

A5 congestion is tailing back from Menai Bridge and Llanfair PG.

There are long queues on the A5025 as traffic attempts to filter into the A55 congestion.

AA Roadwatch says the Britannia Bridge delays are "severe" and "increasing".

Anoher incident is currently disrupting westbound A55 drivers.

Sheep have escaped onto westbound carriageway between J16 Penmaenmawr and J15 Llanfairfechan.

To remove them from the carriageway, a rolling roadblock in operation.

To accommodate this, traffic is also being held temporarily at J18 Llandudno Junction.

[Traffic being held on the westbound A55 near Penmaenmawr to remove sheep from the carriageway]

Traffic being held on the westbound A55 near Penmaenmawr to remove sheep from the carriageway(Image: Traffic Wales)

Traffic Wales has confirmed the Menai Suspension Bridge remains closed for the time being.

Belatedly, it has also warned of 'likely delays'.

Queues began building on the A55, A5 and A5025 almost as soon as the bridge was closed shortly before 10am.

Westbound A55 traffic is now feeling the effects of the suspension bridge closure.

Traffic websites report slow traffic from junction 9 (A487).

Meanwhile, eastbound A55 traffic is now said to be queueing to reach the Britannia Bridge.

Travel times are estimates at 10 minutes.

On Anglesey, the A5 and A5025 are also congested near the Britannia Bridge.

[Latest traffic situation in the area]

Latest traffic situation in the area(Image: AA Roadwatch)

A Senned petiton calling for a third Menai crossing has now reached 6,291 signatures.

You can find this here.

The poll below gives a snapshot of current sentiment.

Traffic website Inrix says tailbacks have built rapidly.

It reports "slow traffic" on eastbound A55 Britannia Bridge around junction 8A for the A5 Holyhead Road.

Inrix estimates travel time through the congestion, to reach the bridge, is 15 minutes.

Queues are quickly starting to build on the eastbound AA from Anglesey and the westbound A5 from Menai Bridge.

[Congestion situation arising from the closure of Menai Suspension Bridge]

Congestion situation arising from the closure of Menai Suspension Bridge(Image: AA Roadwatch)

A little more detail from AA Roadwatch....

Here's the alert from Traffic Wales.

Good morning.

We'll bring you updates on this incident as soon as we have them.