Llanbedr bypass: Gwynedd council considers legal challenge

A legal challenge could be launched against the decision to scrap a £14m bypass which has been campaigned for since the 1960s.

The one-mile (1.5km) road in Llanbedr, Gwynedd, was approved in March, with the aim of cutting tourism traffic congestion in the village.

But the Welsh government axed it in November over climate change fears.

Gwynedd council said the decision was based on a "biased" report and is considering legal action.

First Minister Mark Drakeford responded by saying the report was an "honest attempt to relay the climate crisis" and the decision would not be overturned.

Calls for a bypass for Llanbedr began more than 60 years ago because of heavy traffic on narrow roads.

It was eventually given the green light in March, but the decision to scrap it was called a "bitter betrayal" by Plaid Cymru.

That decision was part of an ongoing review of Welsh road projects and came after a panel concluded it was likely to increase carbon emissions.

Construction would cause "significant" CO2 emissions and new traffic on the bypass could increase by "60% over the whole year", according to the report.

Council leader Dyfrig Siencyn wrote to Mr Drakeford claiming this narrative was "biased and inaccurate", and accused the Welsh government of misleading local authority officials through the review.

He also claimed research was "too superficial", that the decision showed a lack of understanding of the economic impact on the development of the Llanbedr Airbase and the way tourism works in the area.

"We are obliged to look at our legal position, our lawyers are taking advice on that and we'll see what transpires," Mr Siencyn said.

"I'm angry and extremely disappointed, we've invested a lot of time, effort and money."

He said the people of Llanbedr were left to "suffer pollution from slow-moving traffic" and extreme traffic jams in the summer.

While the Welsh government report stated CO2 levels could rise as a result of the bypass, Gwynedd council's research claimed it would decrease by 3.6% as vehicles would not be stuck in traffic jams.

From her shop window on the main road through Llanbedr, Olwen Lloyd Jones said she witnessed traffic jams throughout the year.

She and her family moved to Harlech last year, claiming the road was unsafe.

"We were on the main road and it's just too dangerous, I've got grandchildren and I couldn't let them walk along the main road," she said.

Llanbedr councillor Annwen Hughes accused the Welsh government of putting a political spin on the decision - which was made during this year's COP26 conference in Glasgow.

Mr Drakeford said the "report was an honest and moral attempt to change government policy to be in line with the worrying scientific evidence of global change".

A Welsh government spokesman said it had "engaged with the council throughout the process" and remained "committed to working with Gwynedd to develop sustainable solutions to address the issue of traffic and access to the airfield".