Gwynedd Council has been criticised for ignoring calls to reopen a road in Barmouth over fears for public safety.

Councillors and residents contacted the ‘Cambrian News’ to describe the nightmare people faced in Barmouth on Bank Holiday weekend, the hottest weekend of the year so far, when the road remained closed and unmanned traffic lights caused chaos.

They relayed stories of people trapped in cars for hours and members of the public directing traffic.

Several said concerns for people’s safety if traffic was allowed to build during the busy half-term holiday were raised with Gwynedd Council but ignored. They feared emergency services would get stuck, and say that is exactly what happened, forcing some emergency service workers to abandon vehicles and run to incidents.

The Cae Glas gardens road closure for flood defence work runs until 12 June. A formal complaint sent to Gwynedd Council’s YGC consultancy agency has been posted on the Barmouth Flood Defence Scheme campaign group on Facebook.

Barmouth councillor Wendy Cleaver has also complained. She said: “What happened in Barmouth on bank holiday Monday was, unfortunately, not a surprise. It was an outcome which was warned about, documented, and foreseeable. That it happened regardless is something I find deeply troubling, and the community deserves a full and honest account of why.

“The council was advised in advance by me and the town council, that proceeding with a road closure during a peak bank holiday weekend carried serious risks. We did not simply raise concerns; we provided workable solutions. Every one was rejected. We were assured that traffic light management, which operated effectively on the Saturday and Sunday, would remain in place. On Monday, it did not materialise. The consequences speak for themselves.

“The town experienced a day of complete gridlock. Emergency vehicles, including the coastguard, ambulance and police could not get through and struggled to reach those in need, having to abandon their vehicles to attend incidents. Traffic Enforcement Officers on the ground were unable to prevent drivers from abandoning vehicles, parking on pavements, and blocking coach bays, forcing coaches onto double yellow lines. The town did not function. Some businesses have reported that Sunday, when traffic management was in place, was the busier and a more successful trading day. People stuck in their vehicles for much of Monday were not spending in our town’s shops. Barmouth lost out, in every sense.

“I must also acknowledge that among the incidents requiring emergency response on that day, there is one that is now the subject of a serious police investigation. It would be inappropriate for me to say more on that matter while it remains active, but I want it on record that the obstruction of emergency access that day is a fact, and its consequences must form part of any full review.

“I have written formally to the relevant head of department and cabinet member at Gwynedd Council. I have received an acknowledgement in which the severity of the congestion and impact on emergency access are recognised, and an assurance that the issues are being looked into. I welcome that acknowledgement. However, an apology and an assurance are a starting point, not a conclusion. I will be pressing for a full, transparent account of what went wrong, why the promised traffic management was not in place, and what specific steps will be taken to ensure this cannot happen again.

“Monday's events do not stand alone. They are the latest in a series of failures that have eroded public confidence in those responsible for managing this town.

“Local residents and businesses have also lost faith and trust in Gwynedd County Council (YGC) and flood defence contractor Griffiths, who have failed to adhere to the original completion date for the flood defence project on the harbour. The extended deadline, now pushed to the end of the year, means yet another year of disruption, another year of impact on tourism, on our local economy, and on the wellbeing of the people who live and work here. The community of Barmouth has been patient. That patience has limits, and those limits are being tested. “

Barmouth Town Council discussed the terrible traffic problems on Tuesday night and released a statement to the ‘Cambrian News’ following that. The statement said: “Barmouth Town Council discussed the serious issues arising from the Bank Holiday weekend at its council meeting on 26 May. While it is expected that Barmouth will experience high visitor numbers during sunny Bank Holiday weekends, the level of congestion and gridlock seen this year was far beyond anything experienced in recent years. The situation was made significantly worse by the ongoing roadworks at Cae Glas and the road closure on the quay.

“In the weeks leading up to the Bank Holiday weekend, Barmouth Town Council repeatedly raised concerns with Gwynedd Council, YGC and Griffiths Engineering regarding the predictable impact these works would have on traffic, access and public safety within the town.

“Town council also put forward a number of practical suggestions and mitigation measures which could have been implemented in advance of the weekend to reduce disruption and improve traffic management.

“Despite there being ample time to respond, no meaningful action was taken.

“As the situation deteriorated over the course of the weekend, residents and visitors were left dealing with severe congestion, lengthy delays and widespread disruption throughout the town.

“Barmouth Town Council is now demanding answers from Gwynedd Council as to why repeated warnings from town council were ignored and no adequate contingency measures put in place despite the risks being clearly identified in advance. Town council would like to thank residents who stepped in to help alleviate some of the problems over the weekend, as well as those who showed patience during extremely difficult circumstances. Barmouth relies heavily on tourism and welcomes visitors to the town, but the events of this weekend demonstrated a clear failure in planning and traffic management.”

When asked if crews had to abandon vehicles, a Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We have no record on our system that suggests the road closure caused delays for our crews. Police will be your source for a comment.”

North Wales Police said: “As this is currently a live investigation, with a coronial process to follow, this is not something we would comment on.”

Gwynedd Council said: “A road closure is in place to safeguard the public as excavation work is currently going on in the area. The work forms part a £3.2 million flood defence scheme in the Gerddi Cae Glas area. This two-year building project will safeguard homes and businesses in the town from sea and surface water in the harbour area.

“Measures were put in place to try to ease traffic pressures during this busy period, such as moving the barriers as far back as possible and ensuring the lights were manned at the weekend and at peak times throughout the holiday week.

“We would note this essential work could not be halted this week as this would risk the work overrunning into the summer holiday. Work will stop altogether to ease disruption during the busiest part of the year.

“The council will continue to monitor the situation, and we are also in close contact with contractors on site.”