A FURIOUS row has erupted between residents over a proposed bypass in Llanbedr.

A vocal group of protesters has spoken of fears that a bypass would drive trade away from the town as well as the having an environmental impact.

However, this week, Llanbedr resident Roger Payne contacted the Cambrian News on behalf of the community council, saying: “The community council feels, as do many locals, that the objectors have had their say and that their objections have been dealt with in a series of recent meetings.”

“Community action group Save Llanbedr Village Stop the Southern Bypass’ views have been expressed widely over the last nine months,” Mr Payne said.

“There didn’t appear to be any objectors from any of the village businesses present at the meeting, and the meeting appeared to be dominated by people generally in support of the development.

“However, the overall feeling was that, both for the economic future of the village, especially for young people, and to alleviate the serious traffic congestion in the village, the only way forward would be to allow the bypass proposal to go ahead.

However, bypass protester Tony Newbery refutes many of Mr Payne’s claims.

“There’s an air of dejection in the village, a lot of people who don’t want the bypass feel the decision has already been made, but we must still fight to oppose it, that’s the whole point of local democracy.”

Read the full story in this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News