Llanbedr access road cost taxpayers £1.7m before it was axed by Labour Government

New road plans for a village in Snowdonia have been axed by Labour Government

The Labour Government had already spent nearly £1.7m on a road project in Llanbedr, North Wales, before pulling the plug on the plans last week.

Having been approved in March last year, a one-mile (1.5km) bypass was set to be built in Snowdonia due to severe tailbacks during the summer. 

The Welsh government had committed to invest £10m in the scheme, in addition to £7.5m of EU funding.

The £14m scheme was given the green light after 60 years of lobbying.

But last Monday (November 1) saw the Welsh government pull the plug on the new access road following advice from a panel of leading experts on transport and climate change.

New figures reveal the Welsh Government had already spent nearly £1.7m of taxpayers money on the project before it was axed. 

The U-turn and expenditure has caused uproar in the local community and amongst opposition parties. 

Opposition parties say North Wales have nothing to show for £1.7m expenditure.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Transport, Natasha Asghar MS, said: "Motorists were hoping this road would be the answer to their prayers and end traffic jams and long commutes in the area, but sadly Labour ministers have decided to let them carry on suffering.

"I find it astounding and appalling that this huge amount of taxpayer cash has been poured down the drain and there is absolutely nothing to show for it in North Wales.

"It is a double blow for residents and commuters as not only are they not getting a solution to traffic problems in Llanbedr, but now they learn their money has been well and truly wasted."

The Welsh Government says that following a review of all new road schemes funded by themselves, a panel of experts decided that the proposed Llanbedr access road did not align well with new Welsh Government transport and climate policy, and advises that it was not taken forward.

The Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters says alternative package of measures are being considered for Llanbedr.

The Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters said: "We are all facing the same climate change emergency. If we are serious about tackling it, we can’t go on building more and more road capacity for private vehicles.

"Rather than spend money building a road and increasing our emissions, we are committed to providing funding for the development and implementation of an alternative package of measures to address the negative impact of traffic in Llanbedr and in other villages on the A496, whilst also encouraging modal shift and reducing CO2 emissions. 

"The package can also consider access requirements to the airfield to support associated developments. 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."