Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders has spoken out in anger at the fact that the Welsh Government has broken its promise to undertake a WelTAG stage 1 appraisal of the route from Glan Conwy to Betws-y-Coed during this financial year.

In June, Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, responded to the request by Mrs Finch-Saunders for a feasibility study by stating that:

“In the next financial year 2022/23, we will be undertaking a WelTAG stage 1 appraisal of the route from Glan Conwy to Betws Y Coed. This will consider all issues along that corridor aligning with the priorities of the Wales Transport Strategy. In the meantime, I would be happy for my officials to discuss any proposals Conwy County Borough Council may have for the bridge and consider any improvements that could be made to the trunk road to facilitate these proposals”.

In July 2022, the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy sought clarity from the Deputy Minister by requesting a statement outlining the progress made on the WelTAG Stage 1 review of the A470 between Glan Conwy and Betws-y-Coed. The Deputy Minister has responded stating:

“The Welsh Government is currently carrying out a review of road schemes in Wales and the panel is due to report later this summer.  In the meantime, the Welsh Government recently announced the North Wales Transport Commission, led by Lord Terry Burns. It will build on the work already being delivered across the region and consider the needs of all communities; both urban and rural, along the coast and inland.

"This is an opportunity to ensure that North Wales has the transport network which meets its needs for the future, and deals with the challenges we face with the climate emergency. The section of the A470 between Glan Conwy and Betws Y Coed will fall under this commission”.

Commenting on the Welsh Government decision to essentially cancel the promised WelTAG Stage 1 review of the A470 between Glan Conwy and Betws-y-Coed, Mrs. Finch-Saunders said:

“Having raised concerns such as about the junction with Pont Fawr, the junction in Tal y Cafn, Bodnant hill, the bends in Maenan, and the section in the Rhyd y Creuau area, I genuinely welcomed the fact that the Welsh Government committed to me in 2021 to undertake a WelTAG Stage 1 review of the A470 between Glan Conwy and Betws-y-Coed in 2022/23.

“The review should have resulted in the identification of a short-list of options for addressing the highway problems and issues in the area. What we have is a broken promise.

“Rather than undertake the promised WelTAG review focussed on the section of the A470 in the Conwy Valley, what the Deputy Minister is now advising is that the section of highway will be considered as part of a region wide study by the North Wales Transport Commission.

“I secured a promise for a specific review of the A470 between Glan Conwy and Betws-y-Coed, which the Welsh Government has now amalgamated into a North Wales wide project. The residents of the Conwy Valley deserve better than this, and the promised specific appraisal.

“It is with considerable interest that I await to see what changes, if any, the new Commission achieves for the Conwy Valley”.