There had long been a necessity for convenient communication between London and Dublin, and the Union gave further emphasis to the need, specifically for Government mails. The sea crossing of the Irish Sea was difficult because of the poor harbour facilities on both sides, and the road approach to the United Kingdom harbour at Holyhead was long and difficult. In 1815 Thomas Telford was commissioned to build an improved road between London and Holyhead, and also between Lancashire and Holyhead. The A5 road as it existed in the 1950s shares much of the heritage of Telford's London to Holyhead route. Telford's road was completed from Shrewsbury to Bangor in 1819, and across Anglesey in 1828, including the Stanley Embankment from Anglesey to Holy Island.