Madam,

Cllr Annwen Hughes’ letter confirms that the proposed Llanbedr bypass is a vanity project driven by politicians from council level all the way to the corridors of power in Cardiff and Westminster.

At the time when the community first became aware that a bypass was being planned, the then chairman of Llanbedr Community Council told me how upset they and Gwynedd Council were about being bombarded with protests from local residents. When I asked how many representations there had been requesting a bypass or supporting the proposals there was only a long and embarrassed silence.

Improved access to the Enterprise Zone could be provided at a small fraction of the cost of a bypass and without risking turning a viable rural community into just another dormitory village of holiday cottages and retirement homes without any real life or purpose.

Contrary to Cllr Hughes’ claims about “keeping young people and families in the area”, young people and families shun such places.

Local politicians have worked overtime to try and find some support for their plans, mainly by generating concerns about “regular” congestion in Llanbedr (an occasional problem at the height of the summer season), risk of accidents (there is no record of any for at least 30 years) and, preposterously, the danger of traffic fumes (if Llanbedr had such a problem who would survive in Barmouth or Porthmadog?).

Politicians would do well to heed the tide of populism that is sweeping the western world and consider the interests of all the people who they represent.

Yours etc,

Tony Newbery, Penrallt, Llanbedr.

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