October | 2025 | For The Record

Claim: The Welsh Government has failed to delegate properly on the Menai Bridge. There’s no real control.

UK Highways A55 DBFO Ltd are a private company who are fully responsible for the operation and maintenance of the A55 between Junction 1 to Junction 11 and the A5 Menai Loop which includes the Menai Suspension Bridge. This has been undertaken as per the contract requirements which would be in line with highway standards of the time. The inspections would lead the required maintenance work on the bridge and this has taken place, hence the Phase 2 refurbishment works being programmed.

The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract was awarded to UK Highways A55 DBFO Ltd in December 1998 which was pre devolution and Welsh Government for a 30 year term which was the first privately financed road in Wales. It is due to expire in 2028, and Welsh Government and North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent have increased management of the handover of the asset back to Welsh Government in recent years.

PFI type contracts have been used across the UK to support the design, construction, financing, and operation of various infrastructure projects, including other road projects.

During the contract, Welsh Government have been responsible as the client managing the contract and Welsh Ministers as highway authority. Our North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent take the role of the departmental representative to provide support to ensure contract duties are fulfilled.

Roles and responsibilities are fully known between all parties and meetings are held with UK Highways A55 DBFO Ltd regularly on a day-to-day basis and at board levels.

UK Highways A55 DBFO Ltd are fully responsible for the works required to the Menai Suspension Bridge including the costs.

Work is taking place at pace towards a resolution to the closure and developing a traffic management enforcement plan to partially reopen the bridge as soon as practicable and safe to do so.

Claim: Based on modelling of the Sustainable Farming Scheme, 2000 jobs will be lost on farms in Wales.

The Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) evidence base we have published does not include any references to job losses.

Modelling does refer to a possible estimated change in the standard labour requirements (hours worked) from the Universal layer. This is not the same as jobs.

The small possible reduction of 3.7% in standard labour requirements assumes every farm in Wales took up the Universal actions in the SFS. However, this is based on likely overestimated impacts on livestock numbers and does not take account of the extra work needed on farm, through things like soil testing, nor the positive impact on labour of the Optional and Collaborative actions.

There is nothing in any reports we have published that says jobs will be lost as a result of the SFS.