Repair work has started on the Menai Suspension Bridge

Members of Menai Bridge Town Council say they have been raising concerns about the condition of the Thomas Telford suspension bridge over the Menai Straits for more than ten years.

Welsh assembly Transport Minister Andrew Davies, has confirmed that the maintenance work has now started.

Although work was carried out on the bridge's road deck in 1999, Councillor Emyr Williams started a campaign to restore the paintwork and ironwork 15 years ago when he was mayor.

The longer the work is left, the bridge's metal work will deteriorate to the point where more serious remedial work will be needed Ieuan Wyn Jones AM

"I started asking the Welsh Office to carry out maintenance work then and every mayor since has done the same thing," he says.

"Though the bridge is perfectly safe, it had become shoddy-looking.

"It needed painting and the railings and pipes had rusted right through.

"The work has now started at last, and I greatly hope that it will withstand the test of time."

Regular work

Ynys M�n AM Ieuan Wyn Jones met Andrew Davies last week to discuss the town council's representations and said he was very encouraged by his response.

"I met him with transport officials this week, and he made it clear that work has already started on the bridge's hand and guardrails and repairs were being carried out to the walkway," he said.

"I made it clear to the minister that the bridge needed regular maintenance work, and that the longer the work is left, the bridge's metal work will deteriorate to the point where more serious remedial work will be needed.�

Menai Bridge's current mayor, Councillor Mary Lloyd Hughes, said the bridge was in a bad condition.

Feat of engineering

"I had walked over the bridge recently and noticed there was rust and holes in the ironwork and that the structure was in dire need of a coat of paint.

The bridge - the first crossing to be built between Anglesey and the mainland - was recently awarded the status of International Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Along with the neighbouring Britannia Bridge and Telford's other bridge in Conwy the structure was described as a "feat of engineering as significant as the Panama Canal".

"The American engineers were delighted to be on the bridge. They were practically kissing the ground!" said Ms Hughes.

"It's a very important bridge which we need to ensure is regularly maintained," she added.