Drivers hurl bottles of urine at bridge workers 'just doing their jobs'

Workers managing traffic at the Menai Suspension Bridge have faced continued abuse from frustrated drivers, including a bottle of urine being thrown at them.

The staff have been stationed at the 200-year-old structure in north Wales to prevent overweight (7.5 tonne) vehicles crossing while repair work continues.

They have reported bottles being hurled from cars, including one full of urine, vehicles being driven aggressively, verbal abuse and intrusive filming from motorists. Workers have also withdrawn over safety concerns.

Mark Hooper, the deputy minister for transport, said there was "no place for harassment and bullying," and wanted the workers to know "he has got their back."

A reduced weight limit was put in place after the hangers - which lift the suspension chains and the road - were found to need repairs.

Other work is expected to take until 2027 to complete, prompting local frustration.

Since 2022, there have been repeated closures of one of just two crossings linking Anglesey with mainland Wales.

Traffic management operative Gary Roberts has experienced the abuse from drivers first hand, along with many others on the front line, which he described as "very stressful".

He said that drivers had often wound down their windows to "shout" and had driven in an "aggressive way to frighten people", and others had filmed them on their phones.

"We have seen a few water bottles thrown, even one with urine," he said.

"When they shout at us we want them to know, we are just the guys on the front line. We don't make the decisions, that's done by higher up people, but we are the ones getting all the flack."

Roberts added: "People have said we are just sitting in deck chairs looking at our phones, but we have an app and we use phones, when we are assessing the weights of vehicles. It is just part of our job.

"We just want people to realise, we are just ordinary, working class people. We are just here doing our jobs, and at the end of the day, we are just trying to keep people safe."

Hooper criticised the recent bad behaviour, and said there was no excuse for "harassment and bullying" staff members "just doing their jobs, trying to keep people safe".

He urged bridge users frustrated at delays to "take a breath" and not blame staff.

Hooper said he had met with politicians and leaders, including members of Anglesey council to discuss how they could resolve some of the wider bridge issues.

A statement would be given to the Senedd in the autumn, he confirmed.

He said that the Welsh government was aware of the disruption caused by work on the suspension bridge, which had dated back to October 2022.

According to Hooper, ideas being considered include stopping heavy vehicles further away from the bridge and use of signage, including on the A55.

Other options include using wind deflectors on the Britannia Bridge – which would help to prevent weather-related closures and restrictions.

Hooper said the problems being faced by locals and visitors "were very important matters that were being taken seriously" and that the government wanted both the island crossings to be "as effective as possible".

Meetings had also taken place with North Wales Police with regard to recent issues of abuse to staff, he said.

North Wales Police said: "We are working closely with partner agencies, and we will respond proportionately to any reports of anti-social behaviour, or abuse, against traffic officers".

Jon Bailey, project director for Spencer Bridge Engineering, said dealing with abuse had been at times "very difficult" to manage and especially hard for his staff.

He said: "We just try to ignore it as much as possible, and not engage with it."

Repair work on the Grade I listed bridge has been conducted on and off since October 2022, after defects were found in the hangers.

It took until late 2024 to fix the hangers, but more structural problems were found and work was expected to take until 2027 to complete.

Bailey said: "We are dealing with a 200-year-old bridge, so you never know what you might encounter.

"As long as we don't find any new issues as we go along, we will likely be looking at going into the next year, but we can't guarantee any specific (end) date as yet."