Much-delayed multi-million pound bypass project cancelled by Welsh Government

A much delayed multi-million pound bypass project has been cancelled by the Welsh Government.

Work on the £14m Llanbedr bypass was paused in June following a Welsh Government decision to halt all new road-building schemes while a review is carried out.

The Deputy Minister for Climate Change has now confirmed that the Welsh Government “will not support any further work on the current Llanbedr Access Road scheme”.

Lee Waters however said that he would provide funding for an “alternative package of measures to address the negative impact of traffic in Llanbedr and in other villages on the A496”.

Lee Waters had confirmed in September that Llanbedr would be “fast-tracked” by the independent committee tasked with the final decision, which is made up of transport and climate change experts.

However, he said that the committee had now decided not to crack on with the project.

“I have asked my officials to work with Gwynedd Council to commission Transport for Wales to develop an alternative package for consideration, in line with the chair’s recommendations,” he said.

“Any Welsh Government funding for this package will be via the Local Transport Fund and subject to the usual application process.”

The Welsh Government had agreed to fast-track a decision on Llanbedr so that we don’t lose EU funding that had been put towards the project.

The project had however been hit by rising costs due to Brexit and the pandemic, Gwynedd Council heard last month.

The decision will raise fears – and hopes – that other roads whose development has been frozen by the Welsh Government will not see the light of day.

Additional reporting by Gareth Wyn Williams from the Local Democracy Reporting Service.