THE CLEDDAU BRIDGE was closed to traffic for the second time in a week after there were calls about concerns for a person’s welfare.

Traffic was stopped from making the half-mile long crossing at around 11.45am on Friday (Oct 7) – a short while after the bridge re-opened by police.

The bridge was also closed just after midnight on Sunday morning after reports of concern over a person in distress.

A number of police units attended that incident, and an ambulance was put on standby, but thankfully was not needed. The bridge was closed for around a hour, with a diversion put in place.

Nearby residents said they noted the flashing lights from multiple emergency services on the bridge and posted statuses on Facebook wishing for the person’s safety.

Some other witnesses on the Pembroke Dock side of the estuary noted activity in the water from small vessels in the area under the bridge, which they believed may have been boats put on standby.

In a statement a spokesperson from the Welsh Ambulance Service said at the time: “We were called in the early hours of Sunday morning at 12:43am to reports of an incident on the A477, Cleddau Bridge.

“We sent one emergency ambulance but were subsequently stood down.”

At just after 1am Sunday the police posted the following on their official Facebook page, confirming that the incident was over: “Cleddau Bridge has now reopened. Thank you for your patience.”

Police also closed the Cleddau Bridge at 4am on Monday, August 29 due to an incident. On Twitter police asked for people to avoid the area. No specifics were released as to the nature of the incident, although it is understood it was similar in nature.

In light of all this, pressure is being put on the local council to examine ways of reducing the number of suicide attempts off Cleddau Bridge following reports that suicide rates have reached their highest level for two decades.

The problem is being exacerbated by the fact that an increasing number of young people are struggling to find adequate support from their mental health crisis teams.

Vicki Nash, head of policy and campaigns at the charity Mind said last month: “A significant proportion of people who take their own lives have asked for support for their mental health within the last 12 months,” commented

“But no one who is in touch with the mental health services or who is asking for help, should reach the point of taking their own life.

She added: “If they are, then it means that our services are failing people when they need help them the most.”

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have used World Mental Health Day to reiterate their calls for a 24/7 mental health service in Wales.

The Party first called for a complete overhaul of mental health services in Wales during the last Senedd elections, calling for mental health to be given equal status to physical health.

The Party’s calls come after Welsh Government figures released last week showed there had been a 10% increase in detentions under the Mental Health Act in Wales during the last year.

The latest Welsh Government statistics also show large waiting times for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (sCAMHS) across Wales with 57% of patients waiting longer than the four-week target time for their first referral. Cardiff and the Vale Health Board fairs particularly badly with 85% waiting over the target time.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called for the Labour Government to introduce plans to introduce a 24/7 mental health crisis care system; increase the share of funding that goes towards mental health to 13 percent of the Welsh NHS budget by 2028 and appoint a dedicated Minister of Mental Health until backlogs are cleared.

Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said: “On Mental Health Day we rightly recognise the progress we have made in removing the stigma that used to surround the issue.

“However, we are still failing far too many people, especially young people. The fact that the number of people detained under the Mental Health Act has risen 10% in a year only goes to show many people aren’t able to access the treatment they need and instead reach a crisis point.

“The risk of a significant generational chasm in mental health treatment, especially in places like Cardiff where the figures have been dire for so long is especially worrying.

“Labour must ensure that mental health is treated equally to physical health. If a child had a broken leg we would not wait over four weeks to treat it, why should it be acceptable for a child experiencing a mental health crisis to wait so long?

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats have championed the cause of Wales’ mental health, having pushed for greater mental health funding during budget discussions with the Welsh Government, including an immediate cash boost to mental health services.

“These statistics make it clear however that Labour are not meeting expectations and the Liberal Democrats will continue to call for the creation of a 24/7 mental health service in Wales alongside increases in funding towards mental health services in Wales.

“The work voluntary organisations who work with young people suffering from poor mental health do is invaluable and if we are to tackle this epidemic, the Welsh Government must look at sustainable funding capacity for those organisations.”