Madam,

I feel the need to try rationalise some of the spurious and inaccurate claims which have been made in letters and leaflets in respect of the plans for the new Llanbedr bypass.

Over the past months there has been a negative barrage of misinformation both with correspondence and a leaflet circulated in the area. As readers may be aware, the Welsh Government has already provided funding of £488,000 for planning, development and design of the scheme, with a view for a start in 2018. This money has funded copious surveys of the area from all perspectives. Meetings have been held where the various proposals have been discussed and debated by those for and against. These have been listened to by the council, planners and design engineers.

Re the idea that autonomous vehicles will be the answer to the problem of congestion within the village. I have been following the development of various modes of autonomous of transport for many years. Yes, there are autonomous cars and lorries, which in years to come will be driverless and will open the way for seamless transportation along open roads, but not through tight little village roads congested with cars.

Meanwhile, when eventually automatous vehicles are introduced to the area, in narrow congested areas, drivers will have resume control to navigate around obstacles such as parked cars or narrow bridges. However, even with the automation of all vehicles, without a bypass they will all be coming through the village and all trying to get over the bridge.

The next issue I would raise is the claim the new road would increase the Co2 levels in the area. This is again an interesting point of view, especially if the claimants spent time down in the village when the traffic is idling while queues of traffic build up through the village. The level of fumes which must percolate into the residential homes along the road must be unbearable, particularly during the summer months. The removal of the majority of vehicles onto an open road, driverless or not, where traffic can flow freely must only reduce rather than increase engine fumes.

Re the risk of flooding of the village. I would point out that the flood plain has already been crossed by the Victorians when they put in the railway, the existing road and the river. All of these have been installed or improved to mitigate the risks of flooding of the village. I fail to see, with the sophis-ticated planning modelling techniques employed by the engineers developing the scheme, that this issue will not have been taken into account.No doubt there will be some residents in the village who will be affected by the new road.

However, the idea of putting in half a bypass is by no means the answer and would certainly do nothing for development in the area or the alleviation of the village traffic problems.

Yours etc

P Richardson

Address supplied.