Villagers welcome Welsh Government commitment to build new road in Llanbedr
Campaigners have welcomed a commitment to build a relief road in a gridlocked north Wales village.
It has been a long and winding road for residents in Llanbedr, Gwynedd.
They have been campaigning for a £14m bypass to take traffic away from their village for more than 50 years.
Now, it looks like they will get a raft of "sustainable transport measures" including a road option.
An original plan to build a bypass was an early casualty, when the Welsh Government axed it in 2021 over climate fears.
The new proposal is dependent on funding and planning approval. It is part of a wider plan to improve transport in the area.
New parking facilities are being looked at along with foot and cycle paths and a car-pool scheme.
Plaid Cymru has been lobbying Welsh Government ministers to get a new road built.
Welcoming the news, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS and Liz Saville Roberts MP described it as "great news for the people of Llanbedr and surrounding communities".
They congratulated residents for "decades of steadfast campaigning to ease congestion, reduce noise levels and mitigate pollution in the village".
Both representatives added: "This is an ambitious proposal which will bring substantial benefits to the area, both in terms of improving transport links and strengthening economic potential.
"The proposed scheme will provide relief for both local commuters and holiday traffic who rely on the vitally important Barmouth to Harlech route."
They said the road "will also make the village itself safer both in terms of road safety and cleaner air quality. It will significantly improve quality of life in Llanbedr."
Meanwhile, the Welsh Government's deputy minister for climate change, Lee Waters MS, said he had a "very constructive meeting this morning with POBL community group and local representatives of Llanbedr to take forward the recommendations of the Roads Review".
He added: "We’ll work with Gwynedd on a package of sustainable transport measures, including a scaled-down road option."
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