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News
Llanbedr Transport Improvements Case for Change Workshop
On Tuesday 22nd of Feb 2024 there was a workshop held by WSP and GC at the village hall in Llanbedr.
Stakeholders, businesses and residents were invited to in-person workshop to discuss the work to date on the Llanbedr Transport Improvements WelTAG Study and to discuss potential options for consideration by WSP.
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If you were unable to attend & would like to provide feedback we would appreciate if you could please complete and return the attached form by March 1st 2024. We have also attached a copy of the issues, opportunities, and study objectives we discussed, for your reference.
Have your say* in Welsh / English
*return forms to LlanbedrWelTAG@wsp.com
A successful meeting with Lee Waters MS
On the 26th April POBL had a successful meeting in Cardiff with Lee Waters MS and representatives from Transport for Wales, WelTag, Gwynedd Council, Liz Saville Roberts & Mabon ap Gwynfor.
In this meeting Lee waters confirmed that he was willing for a bypass around Llanbedr to be part of a broader package but it would need to be substantially different from the original proposal.
He also agreed that those present would reconvene in Llanbedr to review progress and that he would assist POBL with communicating the outcomes of the meeting.
Lee Waters Tweeted the below:
Very constructive meeting this morning with POBL community group and local representatives of Llanbedr to take forward the recommendations of the Roads Review. We’ll work with Gwynedd on a package of sustainable transport measures, including a scaled-down road option.
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March 25th 2023
Peaceful Protest March
On Saturday 25th March 2023 Llanbedr villagers gathered to make their voices heard by the Senedd.
As a village we need and must have Road Safety - it is our fundamental Human Right. We need the Senedd to come up with a plan to ensure, that we and many tourists who visit the area over the holiday season, can travel through the village safely, be that by foot, bike or wheelchair.
We as a community, who love where we live do not want it to change. Llanbedr & its surrounding areas attract thousands of tourists worldwide. We are asking for solutions that to be found to meet the issues we face currently, whilst not impacting the beauty of Llanbedr.
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The Senedd has given some options instead of the bypass, however experts in their field have sated that these only worsen the current situation.
For any more information read the impact report here
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Media Coverage
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August Bank Holiday
POBL Peaceful Protest
On Saturday 27th August a Peaceful Protest was held at "Never Cut a Friend" on Llanbedr Bridge to highlight the ongoing issues with road safety, congestion and emissions.
Over 60 locals turned up to support the cause where a tally of 5013 vehicles passing over the bridge or to and from shell island was recorded. The BBC sent their team and it was aired on the BBC Wales News at 6.45pm and S4C Newyddion at 7.45pm that evening. See link below.
https://www.facebook.com/llanbedr/videos/1350069782197535
We would like to thank all who took part from those who joined us on the bridge to all the passers who beeped in support.
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Llanbedr bypass calls renewed after person hit by vehicle
Calls have been renewed for the Welsh government to revive plans for a community bypass after a person was hit by a vehicle.
It scrapped plans for Llanbedr bypass, near Harlech, in Gwynedd last year, despite giving it the go-ahead in 2020.
The Welsh government said the "threat from climate change demands we take a different approach to transport".
But campaigners, who've been lobbying for a bypass for years, said the recent accident proved action was needed.
Campaigner Jane Taylor Williams, chairwoman of community group POBOL, said: "We do really need to think about the health and safety and welfare of the people and visitors alike who come to Llanbedr.
"It just can't carry on like this especially with the volume of traffic that we now have through the village."
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Read the full story here
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Lord Burns to lead North Wales Transport review.
A new transport commission that will develop a pipeline of transport schemes for north Wales has been announced today by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters.
The North Wales Transport Commission follows the model of the commission set-up after the cancellation of the M4 relief road in south east Wales and will also be led by Lord Terry Burns, former Permanent Secretary of the UK Treasury.
The announcement follows recommendations from the Welsh Government’s Roads Review Panel and the recently published Union Connectivity Review by Network Rail Chair Sir Peter Hendy for a ‘multi-modal’ review of the A55 corridor.
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Read the full announcement here
Xplore in Wrexham engage in Community Spaceport Programme
We are delighted to update you with the Spaceports in Communities Programme, running since the Autumn of 2019. This project was funded until March 2021 by the UK Space Agency in partnership with The UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres.
Staff from Xplore! (known as Techniquest Glyndwr at the time) attended a training academy in October 2019 and received resources to deliver Spaceports in Communities activities at events for the local community in northwest Wales. Plans were put into place with Snowdonia Aerospace, Space Flight Academy and Gwynedd Council to arrange for local school pupils to visit the site, but these had to be abandoned.
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Read the full letter here
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Llanbedr - Wales a Sustainable Space Station
The Welsh Government has unveiled ambitious plans to become the world’s first sustainable spacefaring nation by 2040, fuelled by new initiatives including launching rockets at sea using cost-effective and environmentally systems and further investment at Spaceport Snowdonia.
Spaceport Snowdonia has been put forward as a spaceport and a spaceflight experience, training and aeromedical facility, meaning future astronauts could be put through their paces at the facility.
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Read the full article here
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Read the Welsh Government report here
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LLanbedr Space Academy website
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POBL meets with Gwynedd Council Highway Maintenance
In January 2022 a meeting took place with Gwynedd Council Highways Maintenance department. Please read the meetings minutes via the link below - but a few interesting points were raised. 1. The turning into Shell Island can not be altered.
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2. Double yellow lines through the village may cause the traffic to increase therefore road safety would be an issue.
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3. A traffic light system in their estimation would not be a solution to the problems we face.
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4. To increase traffic flow the only way would be to knock down houses in the village.
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Aires pilot scheme approved in Gwynedd
An Aires pilot scheme has been approved by a council in Wales and is hoped to be in place by spring 2023.
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Gwynedd Council has approved plans to set up six pilot ‘Aires’ sites in the area that would allow motorhomes to stay overnight in up to six existing council-run car parks.
A report had previously recommended the Council to consider setting up these pilot sites to provide motorhomes with basic facilities for an overnight stay.
The scheme will cost around £100,000 to set up, and it is hoped the first of the sites will be open by spring 2023
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Report on the situation regarding motorhomes in Gwynedd
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POBL asks for Help
POBL asks industry leaders for help
' We are asking for your help. As a community we are passionate about making Llanbedr as safe and
congestion free as soon as humanly possible. We fully support the Government’s stand on helping our planet and
our future generations in any which way we can, but we also have a very serious issue in Llanbedr which not only
affects our generations now but will also affect that of our own future generations.'
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Read the full letter here
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Read the letter responses here
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All I Want for Xmas is a Bypass
8 yr. old Seren Allen, wrote to Mark Drakeford this week asking him to reconsider the decision on cancelling the Llanbedr bypass.
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Seren then decided to take action, and wrote to Mark Drakeford asking him to explain why the
bypass had been scrapped and to imagine himself, as an 8yr old, being scared to walk down the road in
fear of being run over.
Seren, when asked what she would like for Xmas, simply told her mum ‘All I want for Christmas is the
bypass, so I can play out with my friends. If Mr Drakeford was an 8 year old he would be scared to play
out here too.’
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Llanbedr bypass: Campaigners fight on after approval u-turn
BBC News Desk Report 10th December 2021
About 150 people were at a meeting on Friday voicing their anger that the one-mile (1.5km) Llanbedr Access Road, in Gwynedd will not be built. They worry it will mean many more years of congestion, particularly in the busy summer tourist season.
Gwynedd council leader Dyfrig Siencyn told the meeting that both the council and residents should continue to fight for the bypass.
"The recommendation to scrap the Llanbedr bypass came from a panel of experts who were looking at the amount of carbon dioxide the new road might generate," he said. "But I'm not convinced by their findings, they show a lack of understanding about road use in rural Wales."
The Welsh government said: "We're committed to working collaboratively with Gwynedd to develop sustainable solutions to address the issues surrounding traffic in the village and access to the airfield, such as those suggested in the panel chair's report."
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Gwynedd council considers legal challenge - LLanbedr Bypass
BBC News Desk Report 3rd December 2021
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A legal challenge could be launched against the decision to scrap a £14m bypass which has been campaigned for since the 1960s.
The one-mile (1.5km) road in Llanbedr, Gwynedd, was approved in March, with the aim of cutting tourism traffic congestion in the village.
But the Welsh government axed it in November over climate change fears.
Gwynedd council said the decision was based on a "biased" report and is considering legal action.
First Minister Mark Drakeford responded by saying the report was an "honest attempt to relay the climate crisis" and the decision would not be overturned.
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​Llanbedr bypass: Axed Gwynedd road plan to cost £1.7m
BBC News Desk Report 9th November 2021
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A scrapped bypass road project cost taxpayers nearly £1.7m, the Welsh government axed plans for the £14m bypass in Llanbedr, Gwynedd.
Having already been granted planning permission last year, after 60 years of lobbying, the withdrawal sparked accusations of "betrayal".
Responding to a written question by Member of the Senedd Natasha Asghar, deputy climate change minister Lee Waters confirmed the spend on the Gwynedd Council-led project was set to reach £1.67m.
He added: "To date, £1.472m has been provided to Gwynedd Council for this scheme.
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