In January 1840 the Commissioners were still considering the matter, and were given strong advice that Holyhead was the only suitable North Wales harbour, and that a line there from Chester was the best option. Nonetheless, the matter was still not settled, and railway use of Menai road bridge was still in the thinking. The prevarication, and suggestions of other routes, continued but in the 1844 session of Parliament a Chester and Holyhead Railway was proposed. On 4 July 1844 it obtained the Royal Assent. The line was to be 85 miles long; authorised capital was £2.1 million.