GREEN FOR GO
£135m bypass scheme finally wins approval – with opening date of 2021
THE £135 million Caernarfon and Bontnewydd bypass has finally been given the go ahead by the Welsh Government.
Last week’s announcement by First Minister Carwyn Jones came after several years of delays and will now see work start on the six-mile route as soon as November.
It will be built from the Goat roundabout, on the A499/A487 junction, to the Plas Menai roundabout, meaning motorists can avoid Llanwnda, Dinas, Bontnewydd and Caernarfon.
The road will be made up of three sections separated by new roundabouts at Meifod and Cibyn.
The work should be completed by the spring of 2021 and is expected to create hundreds of jobs.
The First Minister was in Bontnewydd last week to deliver the news.
He said: “The bypass will not only help connect communities in the area through sustainable and resilient infrastructure, but also provide a vital link to the A55 and beyond – to Ireland, England and Europe.
“It also presents a big opportunity for local employment, workforce training and apprenticeships, especially during the construction phase.”
Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport Ken Skates added: “This is a major scheme and one which will bring many benefits to the area.
“It will be a real boost to the region and foster conditions for sus- tainable economic development and employment opportunities.
“The bypass will help remove traffic congestion, improve air quality and reduce noise emissions in Caernarfon, Bontnewydd and the surrounding villages.
“It will also provide improved links to tourist destinations in the Llŷn Peninsula and Snowdonia, as well as great opportunities for active travel within and around Caernarfon”
Arfon Asembly Member Siân Gwenllian claimed the announcement as a victory for Plaid Cymru.
The party has been urging the Welsh Government to give the green light for work to begin on building the road, which was initially supposed to start in 2016.
Mrs Gwenllian said: “Plaid Cymru have long campaigned to see this important development take place and today we welcome the longawaited statement from the Welsh Government.”
“The new bypass will be a huge boost to both our national and local economies, will strengthen our infrastructure, provide increased employment opportunities for our residents as well as bringing longterm social benefits. I look forward to seeing the project proceed and will be holding the Welsh Government to account to ensure progress is completed by 2021 as promised.”
The news was welcomed by the contractors appointed to build the bypass.
Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK contracts director, Hefin LloydDavies said: “This announcement is indeed very, very good news for local residents, as well as for employment in the area.
“Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK, in a joint venture partnership with Balfour Beatty, has previously been named the preferred contractor.
“Under our programme of work, there would be new job opportunities for operatives and delivery staff, as well as work for existing Jones Bros employees, more than 90 per cent of whom live in North Wales.
“We envisage that, at the peak of construction, around 300 personnel would be working on the bypass.”