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Bypass Scheme
The existing A496 through Llanbedr is an approximately 1.5 km section of the primary route for traffic between Barmouth and Porthmadog/Blaenau Ffestiniog. In addition the Llanbedr area is a destination in itself for both tourism and employment activity.
In 2015 the A496 was estimated to have an Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of approximately 3,000 vehicles two ways, including heavy goods vehicles. The problem of congestion on the A496 in the village centre has been recognised for a number of years and is connected to the narrowness of the bridge and the number of junctions onto the A496 immediately north and south of the bridge, but in particular Mochras Road which carries a lot of seasonal traffic to the Mochras (Shell Island) campsite, the largest campsite in Europe. On street parking south and north of Pont Llanbedr, and west of Pont Llanbedr narrows the existing A496 and Mochras Road to one lane also contributing to congestion.
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A number of reports were written with regards to the issue that faces Llanbedr:
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An Economic Impact Assessment for the A496 Llanbedr Access Improvement and Snowdonia Aerospace Centre Development (Jan 2017 Gwynedd Council). Read Full Report
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A496 Llanbedr Access Improvement - Design & Access Statement (2017 Gwynedd Council) Read Full Report
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Environmental Statement. Read Full Report
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Why the Bypass was cancelled
The Deputy Minister for Climate Change asked the Chair of the Roads Review Panel to review the Llanbedr Access Road and Bypass (formally described as the “Llanbedr Access Improvements”).
It is primarily focused on two questions specific to the Llanbedr scheme set out in the terms of reference:
• Question 1: Has sufficient consideration been given to non-transport solutions and solutions other than those increasing private car capacity on the road network?
• Question 2: Has sufficient consideration been given to whether the road proposal will lead to increased CO2 emissions on the road network, or cause significant impediment to achievement of our decarbonisation targets?
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The panel reported the proposed scheme did not align well with new Welsh Government transport and climate policy, and advised that it was not taken forward. Key concerns included:
• Significant elements of the analysis appear to have started from the presumption that the only solution is a new road and greater traffic capacity
• Non-transport solutions did not receive sufficient consideration at the outset. In particular, there has been inadequate consideration of whether the scale of development envisaged at the Airfield is appropriate in this location
• The potential for the access needs of the site to be met by a smaller access road, or a non-road option, has not been sufficiently considered
• There has not yet been a thorough investigation of options that could reduce the negative impact of traffic in Llanbedr (and other villages along the A496) without increasing road capacity, through modal shift from car to public transport, walking and cycling
• The assessment of the impact of the scheme on CO2 emissions is superficial and lacking in credibility
• It seems more likely than not that the scheme will increase CO2 emissions due to induced traffic, higher speeds and embodied carbon, making it more difficult for Wales to achieve decarbonisation targets. For Welsh Government, the Llanbedr scheme highlights the need for better alignment of policies on industrial transformation and regional economies with
policies on transport and climate.
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