In a formal request to the Welsh Government for a statement on the future of the Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr roundabouts, the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has underlined the need for clarity following correspondence from the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Climate Change which appears to suggest that the Welsh Government are progressing the statutory process for Junctions 15 and 16 on the A55 despite the possibility that the works could be scrapped by the roads review panel.
Commenting after her Senedd intervention, Janet said:
“Consecutive Welsh Governments have repeatedly dragged their feet on pushing forward these proposed improvement works, which has left the residents and businesses of Dwygyfylchi, Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan in limbo.
“It cannot be right that the Welsh Government are progressing the statutory process for Junctions 15 and 16 on the A55, spending more taxpayers' money, only for a roads review panel to then potentially come and scrap the entire project
“The update also appears to contradict the Deputy Minister’s statement, made earlier this year, that he was freezing all new road projects in Wales. It is plain to see that the wheels have fallen off this attempt to cobble together a climate change policy response.
“We urgently need a statement from the Deputy Minister clarifying why the statutory process is going ahead before the work of the roads review panel, and clarity as to whether the freeze on new roads was actually only a two month ice age.”
The latest substantive response to Written Questions posed by the Member confirms that a further Public Local Inquiry on the junctions will commence on 21 September 2021.
ENDS