Cleddau Bridge

Cleddau Bridge

What is classed as a High sided vehicle?

High Sided vehicles are defined as any vehicle whose main body or cabin is higher than 1.9m. Any small protrusions above this level i.e. beacons, aerials or small empty roof racks or bars etc, may be considered exempt.

• Lorries
• transit vans
• minibuses
• land rovers
• caravans
• trailers and wind sensitive loads on roof racks, or similar

are categorised as high-sided vehicles and are not permitted to cross the bridge. Motorcycles and bicycles are also categorised as 'at risk' and are advised not to cross the bridge, when closed to high-sided vehicles.

Bridge status updates

Did you know you can get an update of the bridge status via e-mail.

To receive an e-mail, follow the instructions below:-

1.  Create an online account
2. Login to your account and choose 'My details' (drop down is by your username)
3. Then choose, ‘My notifications' 

About the Bridge

The long, wide, deep estuary of Milford Haven divides Pembrokeshire into two parts. The distance by road from Neyland on the north shore to Pembroke Dock on the south is 28 miles. Prior to the construction of the bridge the former County Council operated a ferry service between the two shores. This ferry was able to carry up to 24 vehicles and 250 pedestrians on each trip.

In the mid 1960's with the growth of Milford Haven as a major oil port capable of handling the world's largest tankers, it was decided to replace the vehicular ferry service with a bridge and a new road, which unlike the ferry would be available on a 24 hour basis.

Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners and Freeman Fox and Partners were appointed jointly as consulting engineers to design the Cleddau Bridge and the smaller bridge over the Westfield Pill. The new roadworks and the two bridges provided a highway link between the southern and northern towns of Pembrokeshire and between the oil refineries located along both shores of the Haven.

The contract for building the Cleddau Bridge was awarded in September 1968 to A.E. Farr Limited with Horseley Bridge and Thomas Piggott Limited as sub-contractors for the steelwork. The contract of £2.1 million was to be completed by March 1971. On 2nd June 1970 some 21 months into the contract a 60m cantilever collapsed on the south bank, tragically resulting in the loss of four lives. The construction of the bridge recommenced in 1972 with the first of the new box units to replace those damaged being erected in October 1972 some 28 months after the collapse.

The bridge was eventually opened to traffic in 1975. In the first year of operation approximately 885,900 vehicles used the bridge. By year ending March 2009 this number increased to 4,600,407 which is the highest figures recorded.

The current figure stands at 4.4 million vehicles per year.