While no exact bridge design had been confirmed, a local civil engineer suggested it be supported by statues of Brân the Blessed (Bendigeidfran).

In June 2021, the Welsh Government indefinitely paused the proposal's progress as part of a review of road building projects over concerns of climate change emissions.

On 14 February 2023, the Welsh Government announced that the entire project would not go ahead, citing efforts to reduce car usage, its environmental impact and it being a "blot" on the landscape.

[4] Lee Waters, deputy minister for climate change, later stated the crossing could be considered again as part of a wider review into the infrastructure of North Wales, rather than separately.

But the initial feasibility study had proved positive for a three-lane Britannia Bridge, and the idea is brought up as a short-term solution to relieve congestion on the crossings.

[9] In October 2017, the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru agreed in a draft budget to allocate £3 million to support the design and development of the third crossing.

[27][28][11] On 14 February 2023, it was announced that the project would not go ahead, as part of the Welsh Government roads review, over concerns of increasing car usage and therefore carbon emissions.

[29] The roads review stated that the project should not go ahead as efforts being made to reduce car usage would make a new bridge redundant, and it would have a major environmental impact.

The review stated the construction of the purple route would cause "large" to "moderate" impacts on local protected SSSIs and SACs, as well as destroying ancient woodland and being "a blot on the existing landscape".

[35][36] In December 2023, the North Wales Transport Commission, set up following the roads review, and led by former permanent secretary to the UK Treasury Terry Burns, revealed its sixteen recommendations for the Menai Strait crossings.

The commission did not list a third crossing among its recommendations, but said they recognised that there may be some reasons to consider it in the future, such as the status of Wylfa Newydd nuclear power station.

[13] The preferred proposed location for the crossing, selected from a set of four options in October 2018, was situated east (but not directly next) of the existing Britannia Bridge.

[6][19][38][39] When the scrapping of the project was announced in February 2023, it was revealed an alternative "Sienna" option was considered by planners, as well as reserving land for the orange route as a backup.

[10][39][45][46][47] The justification for a crossing was stated to be weaker following a decrease in the predicted traffic forecasts across the strait, due to the impact of Brexit on the Port of Holyhead and the shelving of the planned Wylfa Newydd nuclear power station.

[48] Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change stated "all schemes not currently in the ground need to be reviewed" and the congestion "can be dealt with in other ways" such as more road maintenance and improved public transport.

[49] Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid Cymru MS, called on the government to "act quickly" following the temporary Menai Bridge closure in late 2022.

Lee Waters responded stating the project would not be a solution in the near future and would require a lot of consideration in particular over the £400 million cost, and that alternative shorter-term arrangements without a bridge were also being considered.

[50] On 14 February 2023, it was announced that the project would not go ahead, as part of the Welsh Government roads review, over concerns of increasing car usage and therefore carbon emissions.

[2] Ap Iorwerth highlighted that the Welsh Government hopes to double the rail line on the Britannia Bridge, which it is currently single track.

While at the same time increase pedestrian and cyclist links across the strait, which currently utilises the empty space on the Britannia Bridge where another rail track would be.

[2] Virginia Crosbie, Conservative MP for Ynys Môn, criticised the recommended scrapping stated it "lack[ed] common sense" and would "systematically destroy the Welsh economy".