Editor,

The statement from the Welsh Government regarding the proposed new Dyfi Bridge that taking the route through Machynlleth had greater local preference is a very narrow-minded parochial attitude to take when spending £35 million.

The bridge is not just to give benefit to Machynlleth, the A487 is the main north to south Wales arterial coast road that thousands of people in south Meirionnydd rely on. Under the Well-being of Future Generation (Wales) Act 2015 we are dutybound to consider what is going to give greater benefit to all the people of Wales for now and future generations, not just one town.

When considering the new bridge, Welsh Government officials stated to me their only brief was to address the flooding problem, nothing else. Nowhere in the world would a government spend £35m on a new road bridge and take the route to a notorious flood plain under a low bridge into a narrow congested town centre.

This is an opportunity to solve all these problems with a partial bypass from the A487 north. It would also greatly reduced pollution in the centre of Machynlleth by traffic backing up at the clock tower, particularly in the summer.

The minister Ken Skates must visit the site to see for himself as it’s blindingly obvious that a bypass is the most sensible answer to benefit now and future generations of thousands of people.

Cllr Mike Stevens, Pier Road, Tywyn.

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