Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates is keeping up pressure on the Welsh Government following the announcement on the Newtown bypass, to ensure continued progress on the bypass and on measures to ease traffic flow in the meantime.
Mr Bates has been advised that £3.1m has currently been allocated for the next stage of scheme development and that the tendering process for a contractor will take place in summer 2011.
Commenting, Mr Bates said:
“I am absolutely thrilled for the people of Newtown that the Government has at long last made a decision on the Newtown bypass, but there is still a long road ahead.
“The most important thing now is to clarify the interim measures that are being considered to alleviate the traffic chaos in the meantime. There was a meeting to discuss the ‘high priority actions’ being considered by officials on September 8th, but still we have heard nothing.
“There is no reason to keep the residents and businesses of Newtown in the dark and I have asked the First Minister to reveal the options that are being considered to ease this dire situation.
“I will also be keeping up pressure for progress on the bypass. Already the Minister has confirmed to me that £3.1m has currently been allocated for the next stage of the development to undertake preliminary design and that the tendering process for a contractor will happen in summer 2011.
“Progress on the bypass and more urgently on the interim measures, is absolutely crucial to the economy of Mid Wales, which is being choked by the current traffic nightmare and I continue to do everything I can to improve the situation.”
