Man Arrested After Wrong-Way Drive on Anglesey A55, Wales 2026

Key Points

• A man was arrested after North Wales Police stopped a vehicle travelling the wrong way on the A55 on Anglesey.
• Officers temporarily closed the A55 while they dealt with the incident and made the road safe to reopen.
• Police said officers travelling on the correct side of the carriageway were able to bring the vehicle to a safe stop.
• Before the vehicle entered the A55, a cyclist was knocked from his bicycle on London Road in Holyhead.
• The cyclist suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital.
• Several parked vehicles were also damaged in Holyhead, police said.
• North Wales Police confirmed that the vehicle travelling the wrong way on the A55 did not cause any collisions.
• Social media reports described the vehicle as a “stolen taxi”, but police did not confirm this in their public statement.
• The arrested man remained in police custody as enquiries continued.
• Police said they understood the incident could cause concern following recent tragic events involving Cleveland Police and offered condolences to those affected.

Wales Police (Wales Times) August 25, 2026 — A man has been arrested after officers stopped a vehicle travelling on the wrong side of the A55, following an earlier incident in Holyhead in which a cyclist was knocked from a bicycle and parked vehicles were damaged.

North uk/police/">Wales Police said the A55 was closed for a short period while officers responded to the incident, stopped the vehicle and checked the route before it reopened. The force said there were no collisions as a result of the vehicle travelling in the wrong direction on the major North Wales road.

The incident drew reports on social media, including claims that the vehicle involved was a “stolen taxi”. However, North Wales Police did not confirm that description when it issued its statement. The force said one man had been arrested in connection with the incident and remained in custody while enquiries continued.

How did police stop the vehicle travelling the wrong way on the A55?

North Wales Police said officers encountered the vehicle while travelling on the correct side of the A55 carriageway. The force said those officers were able to bring it to a stop safely.

In its statement, North Wales Police said: “Officers from North Wales Police have successfully stopped a vehicle travelling on the wrong side of the A55 this evening on Anglesey.

“Officers who encountered the vehicle were travelling on the correct side of the road and were able to safely bring it to a stop.”

The statement did not identify the driver, give the vehicle’s registration details or say how far the vehicle travelled while on the wrong side of the road. Police also did not disclose the precise location on the A55 where officers stopped it.

The A55 is a principal road across North Wales and includes routes linking Anglesey with the mainland. A vehicle travelling against the direction of traffic can create an immediate safety risk for motorists and emergency responders, which is why officers temporarily closed the carriageway while dealing with the incident.

North Wales Police said the road closure was necessary both to respond to the situation and to ensure the route could safely reopen. The force did not provide a duration for the closure or confirm whether traffic diversions were put in place.

What happened to the cyclist in Holyhead before the A55 incident?

Police said a person was knocked off a bicycle on London Road in Holyhead before the vehicle entered the A55. The cyclist sustained injuries that police described as non-life-threatening and was taken to hospital.

North Wales Police said: “Prior to the vehicle entering the A55 a person was knocked off a bicycle on London Road in Holyhead, sustaining non-life threatening injuries and was taken to hospital.”

The force did not name the cyclist, provide details about their condition or say which hospital they were taken to. No information was released about the type of collision, the time it happened or whether any other people were involved.

Police also said “a number of parked vehicles were damaged” during the wider incident. The force did not specify how many vehicles were affected, where they were located or the extent of the damage.

The report of the cyclist being injured and vehicles being damaged forms part of the ongoing police investigation. North Wales Police has not announced any charge in relation to the incident.

Was anyone injured or involved in a collision on the A55?

North Wales Police said there were no collisions as a result of the vehicle travelling in the wrong direction on the A55.

The force stated:

“We can confirm that there were no collisions as a result of the vehicle travelling in the wrong direction on the A55.”

That clarification distinguishes the A55 incident from the earlier reported collision involving the cyclist on London Road in Holyhead. Police said the cyclist’s injuries were not life-threatening, while no injuries to A55 road users were reported in the force’s statement.

The available police information does not establish whether the Holyhead collision, the damage to parked vehicles and the wrong-way driving on the A55 were part of a continuous sequence of events. Investigators are examining the circumstances.

Police have not released details about any potential offences under investigation. They have also not said whether officers are seeking further witnesses, dashcam footage, CCTV footage or information from members of the public.

What has North Wales Police said about the arrest?

North Wales Police confirmed that one man had been arrested and was still in custody when the force issued its statement.

The force said:

“One man has been arrested in connection with the incident and remains in police custody while enquiries continue.”

An arrest does not mean that a person has been charged or found guilty of an offence. Any decision on charges would depend on the evidence gathered during the investigation and, where appropriate, consideration by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Police said their enquiries were ongoing and added: “No further details are available at this time.”

The force’s statement did not give the arrested man’s age, home area or the alleged offences for which he was detained. It also did not say whether he had been interviewed, released, bailed or charged after the initial statement was published.

Why did police refer to recent Cleveland Police events?

North Wales Police acknowledged that the incident could attract public concern in light of recent events involving Cleveland Police. The force did not provide further detail within the statement, but said it wanted to recognise the feelings the incident may prompt.

North Wales Police said:

“North Wales Police acknowledge in light of the recent events that have taken place involving Cleveland police the feelings that this incident may attract.

“We would like to offer our condolences to all those effected by those tragic events.”

The reference was included alongside the force’s update about the A55 and Holyhead incidents. It did not alter the factual position set out by police: one man had been arrested, the A55 had reopened after a temporary closure, a cyclist had been taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and enquiries remained ongoing.

What is the background to the A55 wrong-way arrest?

The A55 wrong-way arrest followed a sequence of reported incidents on Anglesey and in Holyhead. According to North Wales Police, the reported events began before the vehicle entered the A55, when a cyclist was knocked from a bicycle on London Road in Holyhead and parked vehicles were damaged.

Police subsequently stopped the vehicle after it travelled on the wrong side of the A55. Officers temporarily closed the road while responding and reopening it safely. The force has confirmed that no collision occurred on the A55 as a result of the wrong-way driving.

Social-media claims concerning a “stolen taxi” have not been confirmed by North Wales Police. The investigation remains active, and the force has said no further details are available at this stage.

How could this development affect Anglesey road users?

For motorists, cyclists and residents in Holyhead and across Anglesey, the development may result in continued police enquiries and possible requests for evidence from people who saw the vehicle or have relevant camera footage. Road users may also experience heightened awareness of temporary road restrictions if officers need to carry out further investigation.

The immediate A55 closure has ended, according to the police statement, but the investigation could establish further details about the earlier Holyhead collision, damage to parked vehicles and the vehicle’s route before it was stopped. Any future updates on charges, witness appeals or road measures will depend on findings by North Wales Police.