Plaid Cymru Gwynedd Leader, Dyfrig Siencyn (pictured) said:
“I am furious with today’s announcement by Welsh Government based on a report which shows a complete lack of understanding of a rural situation in terms of road usage or the desperate need for jobs of high quality in one of the areas with the lowest household incomes. It is clear that once again rural areas can be sacrificed on the alter of climate change where the real problem and the answers lie in our urban areas.
“This is a crushing blow to our hopes and aspirations for the people of Meirionnydd. Despite fine words by Ministers who represent urban areas, they have no understanding and no empathy with the problems facing our rural communities and clearly have no desire to improve the lives of people who live and work here.
“The potential increase in carbon emissions form the new road scheme fade into insignificance when compared to the emissions and pollution suffered by the residents of Llanbedr over the summer months, when hundreds of vehicles are at a standstill in the village.
“Moreover it seems that rural areas are now to be consigned into economic deserts and empty communities for the pleasure of those who travel here regardless of their Carbon emissions.
“We are not to have an infrastructure fit for the 21st century and we must be satisfied with a peasant subsistence whilst those in our cities and urban areas can benefit from an efficient public transport system, and ready access to jobs and public services.
“I invite the authors of this report to come and live in Meirionnydd so that they can experience the reality of life here. They should come and meet us to explain how they reached their flawed conclusions. I despair that we are once more to suffer from a short sighted urban attitude which has scant regard for the well being of rural communities.
“I will continue to fight on in the face of this decision and will continue to press the case with Ministers for a substantial change in attitude.
Plaid Cymru Llanbedr Councillor, Annwen Hughes (pictured) said:
“I am shocked to hear this devastating news today. I feel that the community of Llanbedr and the surrounding area have been led up the garden path by the Welsh Government.
“Our discussions with the Welsh Government in recent months were positive. Our hopes had been raised that Llanbedr by-pass would be delivered, but today those hopes have been dashed. It is a bitter blow.
“Where does this now leave our community? Where does this leave our economy? What affect will this have on the Welsh Government’s own Llanbedr Airfield site, and the potential there to create jobs for local people?
“This feels like a bitter betrayal from our own Government in Cardiff. Their concerns regarding the climate should also relate to concerns about our community’s health, well-being and future prospects.
“We will continue to oppose this decision and push Ministers to re-look at this issue.”
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