Sam Rowlands MS for North Wales is calling on Welsh Government Ministers to come and see for themselves the chaos being caused following the sudden closure of Menai Bridge.
Speaking in the Senedd, Mr Rowlands, Shadow Minister for Local Government was responding to the Statement by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change: Closure of the Menai Bridge.
He said:
I did submit an emergency question on this issue, but clearly withdrew it as this statement was announced. The immediate closure of the Menai Bridge, which sees thousands of vehicles crossing per day, is really concerning.
Firstly, I would ask you to share the contingency plans when high winds are likely to close Britannia Bridge, as quickly as possible, so that businesses and locals know how that will work.
Secondly, looking at the longer term, the programme of work is going to take around 16 weeks to complete, and then only looking to reopen for vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes. I would be interested to know when you envisage vehicles heavier than 7.5 tonnes being able to cross the Menai Bridge in the future, to create that wider capacity that is needed to cross on and off the island.
And then thirdly, this problem was highlighted initially in 2019, so clearly there has been a pattern of concern over a series of years and months.
It is still not clear to me, why, as we are looking at three years plus here, there was an immediate and sudden decision that had to be made without warning for locals and for businesses alike. I would appreciate a bit more clarity as to why that pattern of concern wasn't properly considered.
MP for Ynys Môn, Virginia Crosbie added:
I am shocked and appalled by the sudden decision by Welsh Government to close the Menai Bridge - without notice - for up to four months due to structural weakness caused by heavy traffic.
This is a problem that should have been anticipated. The bridge should never have been allowed to get into a state where this kind of emergency response is necessary.
In June 2021 the Welsh Labour Government – propped up by Plaid Cymru - froze all new road-building projects to conduct a review. Their delays and lack of investment in our infrastructure is having a devastating impact on Anglesey.
46,000 vehicles cross the Menai Straits each day and the Menai Bridge is a critical part of our infrastructure – particularly for the families, workers and our students who commute over the bridge daily.
With the Britannia Bridge often closed to high sided vehicles due to high winds this move will also hit the port of Holyhead and our fragile Island economy.
This is unacceptable. I am doing all I can to bring jobs and investment to Ynys Môn but our island desperately needs the Welsh Government to prioritise good, reliable transport links in order to make these new opportunities viable for our community.
Sam Rowlands AS yn gofyn am fwy o wybodaeth ynghylch cau Pont Menai
Mae Sam Rowlands, AS Gogledd Cymru, yn galw ar Weinidogion Llywodraeth Cymru i ddod i weld drostyn nhw'u hunain yr anhrefn sy'n cael ei achosi wedi i Bont Menai gau yn ddisymwth.
Yn siarad yn y Senedd, roedd Mr Rowlands, Gweinidog yr Wrthblaid dros Lywodraeth Leol, yn ymateb i'r Datganiad gan y Dirprwy Weinidog dros Newid Hinsawdd: Cau Pont Menai.
Meddai:
Fe wnes i gyflwyno cwestiwn brys ar y mater hwn ond, yn amlwg, fe wnes i ei dynnu'n ôl pan gafodd y datganiad hwn ei gyhoeddi. Mae cau Pont Menai, sy'n gweld miloedd o gerbydau yn croesi bob dydd, yn ddisymwth yn benderfyniad pryderus iawn.
Yn gyntaf, byddwn i'n gofyn i chi rannu'r cynlluniau wrth gefn pan fydd gwyntoedd cryfion yn debygol o gau Pont Britannia cyn gynted â phosib, fel bod busnesau a phobl leol yn gwybod sut y bydd hynny'n gweithio.
Yn ail, o edrych ar y tymor hwy, mae'r rhaglen waith yn mynd i gymryd tua 16 wythnos i'w chwblhau, ac yna bydd y bont ond yn ailagor i gerbydau hyd at 7.5 tunnell. Byddai'n ddiddorol cael gwybod pryd rydych chi'n rhagweld y bydd cerbydau trymach na 7.5 tunnell yn gallu croesi Pont Menai yn y dyfodol, i greu'r capasiti ehangach hwnnw sydd ei angen i groesi i Ynys Môn ac oddi yno.
Ac yn drydydd, tynnwyd sylw at y broblem hon i ddechrau yn 2019, felly mae'n amlwg bod patrwm o bryder wedi bod dros gyfres o flynyddoedd a misoedd.
Nid yw'n glir i mi o hyd, gan ein bod ni'n edrych ar dair blynedd a mwy yma, pam roedd rhaid gwneud penderfyniad disymwth a sydyn heb rybudd i bobl leol a busnesau. Byddwn yn gwerthfawrogi ychydig mwy o eglurder ynghylch pam na chafodd y patrwm hwnnw o bryder ei ystyried yn iawn.
Ychwanegodd AS Ynys Môn, Virginia Crosbie:
Mae penderfyniad sydyn Llywodraeth Cymru i gau Pont Menai - heb rybudd - am hyd at bedwar mis oherwydd gwendid strwythurol a achosir gan draffig trwm wedi fy syfrdanu a’m synnu.
Mae hon yn broblem y dylid bod wedi ei rhagweld. Ni ddylai'r bont fyth fod wedi mynd i gyflwr lle mae'r math hwn o ymateb brys yn angenrheidiol.
Ym mis Mehefin 2021, gwnaeth Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru - gyda chymorth Plaid Cymru - rewi pob prosiect adeiladu ffyrdd newydd i gynnal adolygiad. Mae eu hoedi a'u diffyg buddsoddiad yn ein seilwaith yn cael effaith ddinistriol ar Ynys Môn.
Mae 46,000 o gerbydau yn croesi'r Fenai bob dydd ac mae Pont Menai yn rhan hollbwysig o'n seilwaith - yn enwedig i'r teuluoedd, y gweithwyr a'r myfyrwyr sy'n cymudo dros y bont yn ddyddiol.
Gyda Phont Britannia ar gau yn aml i gerbydau ag ochrau uchel oherwydd gwyntoedd cryfion, bydd y penderfyniad hwn hefyd yn taro porthladd Caergybi ac economi fregus Ynys Môn.
Mae hyn yn annerbyniol. Rwy'n gwneud popeth o fewn fy ngallu i ddod â swyddi a buddsoddiad i Ynys Môn, ond mae gwir angen i Lywodraeth Cymru flaenoriaethu cysylltiadau trafnidiaeth da, dibynadwy er mwyn gwneud y cyfleoedd newydd hyn yn hyfyw i'n cymuned.
