TYWYN Town Council is inviting other community groups in south Meirionnydd to discuss the future of the Dyfi Bridge following a falling out with a neighbouring town council.

Tywyn council has criticised Machynlleth council in recent months after feeling excluded­ from any discussion surrounding the 17th century construction and plans to reroute traffic over a new bridge.

Practically all of the traffic arriving into Tywyn from the south will have utilised the bridge as part of their journey into Meirionnydd­.

As such, Tywyn chair John Boulter has called on his counterparts in Aberdyfi, Bryncrug, Llanegryn, Corris, Llangelynin and Pennal to join them in a meeting in order to ensure that south Meirionnydd’s voice is heard when discussing the vital transport link.

The discussion during a recent town council meeting took place after comments were made by members of the Machnylleth community online, which Tywyn councillors considered “offensive”.

It also followed an article in the Cambrian News which quoted Machynlleth councillor Gareth Jones suggesting that Tywyn council had been “naive” in its assumption that it was entitled to respond on the matter.

Cllr Jones went on to claim that several representatives from south Meirionnydd, including Tywyn town councillors, had been involved in a series of consultation meetings which took place in the summer of 2011 and were therefore involved in the process.

However, Tywyn councillors who were present at the meeting believe a lot has changed since then and that their opinion should have been sought before plans were finalised.

Aside from a lack of consultation, Tywyn council does not agree with the proposed plan and have branded the new £24m scheme as “ludicrous”.

Most of the councillors’ consternation was due to the new route still passing under the railway bridge in Machynlleth – a route which has flooded on several occasions over the last few months.

Tywyn council is currently awaiting replies from their local community councils before proceeding any further.