An iconic UK suspension bridge that marked a decisive moment in travel history is being feted as it reaches its 200th anniversary. The Menai Suspension Bridge, connecting the island of Anglesey with mainland Wales, became the largest suspension bridge of its era when it was built between 1819 and 1826, and slashed nine hours from the previous 36-hour journey time between London and the gateway to Ireland, Holyhead.
At a plaque inauguration ceremony, David Porter, president of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), said: “Today’s anniversary marks two hundred years of the iconic Menai Bridge. The bridge is a hugely important part of the transport system in Wales, not only for those that live and work in the surrounding area but for the thousands of journeys made using it on the strategic road network.”
The bridge was built by Thomas Telford, a Scottish civil engineer who became known as the “Colossus of Roads” thanks to his prolific work on road, canal, tunnel, bridge, and harbour projects in the UK. He found a way to construct the bridge over a narrow channel of fast-moving water with conflicting tides, establishing a method that is still used today, innovating with hundreds of iron cables.
Spanning 180 metres and tall enough to allow 31 metres of clearance for tall ships to pass below, Telford’s bridge became only the second suspension bridge in the world to carry vehicles. Today, it handles around half a million vehicles per year.
30 Jan 1826 Menai Suspension Bridge opened – that links mainland Wales with the Isle of Anglesey was marked today with the unveiling of a plaque – @MenaiHeritage @ICEWales @ICEWalescymru @istructe @istructecnw – pic.twitter.com/86WujMZ8kJ
— ICE Shropshire (@ICEShropshire) January 31, 2026
“The bridge is testament to what is possible when civil engineers apply their skills for the benefit of society,” Porter told an audience including Thomas Telford Museum, the Menai Bridge Community Heritage Trust, Welsh government representatives, local authorities, and national engineering institutions. “It is more than just a feat of engineering,” he said, “it is a structure that is relied on by numerous people each and every day and is also a connection between the past with the present.”
The Menai Suspension Bridge has seen repairs and improvements over time. Its wooden deck and iron chains were replaced by steel before the dawn of the 20th century, and pre-Second-World-War upgrades were made to hangar sockets, which were replaced again after a closure in 2022. Works continue and are not set to finish until February 2027.
But Keith Jones, director of ICE Wales Cymru, hailed the bridge as “a vital link not just between Bangor but to mainland Britain and Europe” and “a great example of how infrastructure investment boots economies, connects communities, and benefits society.”
Noting the bridge’s longevity, he said the “iconic structure has been integral to the prosperity of Wales and beyond as a trans-European route.” The bridge’s “ground-breaking design put Wales on the map as a pioneer in civil engineering,” Jones went on, calling for “the same vision and resources” to create “confidence that future transport infrastructure projects will be delivered across Wales so that people and the planet can thrive.”
As well as the anniversary plaque, celebrations of the bridge and its revolutionary effect on travel include history talks and stories hosted by Bangor University.
