October 31, 2025 - 284 views
Janet Finch-Saunders MS for Aberconwy has questioned the Welsh Government's "poor" traffic strategy claiming members of the public have had to direct diverted traffic during the recent A55 Conwy tunnel closure.
Finch-Saunders criticised the mismanagement of the route, raising concerns about safety and the lack of official traffic management. She claimed residents are taking matters into their own hands due to an inadequate government response.
A number of weeks back, traffic queued back to Penmaenmawr eastbound on the A55. Westbound traffic went back to Colwyn Bay, and Llandudno Junction. Many other area including Bethesda, Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed were gridlocked due to traffic leaving the A55.
Responding to Mrs. Finch-Saunders, Ken Skates MS, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales said: “There is a long-standing established diversion route for when the Conwy Tunnel is closed. It utilises the A470 and A5 trunk road network.
“The diversion plan is shared with the Local Resilience Forum which includes the relevant Local Authorities. However, drivers with local knowledge will use local roads and drivers will also use their SatNavs”.
Commenting Mrs. Finch-Sunders Janet said: “Whenever any section of the A55 is closed between Llandudno Junction and Bangor there is a major impact on the long-standing diversion route.
“The same communities time after time encounter the same traffic mayhem, such as HGVs being unable to pass through Llanrwst, the arches of Conwy town, or the parked vehicles in Bethesda.
“What the Cabinet Secretary calls an established route is extremely poorly managed. How much worse can you get than members of the community having to volunteer to guide traffic because the traffic and police officers with the legal authority to manage traffic in crisis communities do not take action?
“Nobody, including the Cabinet Secretary, wants to take ultimate responsibility for management of the diversion route. Failure to do so and ensure that officials with legal authority help manage traffic flows could result in a serious accident”.
