Around 60 to 75 people turned up for the public consultation on traffic problems at Sandy Road. The event was held at the Selwyn Samuel Centre today, Saturday (Feb 10). Nia Griffith MP and Lee Waters AM/AC were in attendance.
Some residents expressed concerns about the difficulties they face on a daily basis including high pollution levels and constant traffic jams.
Speaking to our reporter Iwan Lewis during the consultation Nia Griffith MP said: “The people are very realistic and concerned that the solutions should not have negative knock on effects for other people. I think the feeling of community and the feeling that we have to solve this together is very much there but they want the council to be proactive. That is a very clear message coming through. They want their ideas tried out and listened to. They want some practical action and that is the message that is coming out loud and clear.”
The area is a notorious hotspot for congestion and pollution, which does not look set to improve with further housing developments planned stretching all the way to Kidwelly.
Local councillors were also at the event and the petition in support of a bypass is gaining momentum. Despite this both the MP and AM are resisting the calls for a bypass and are in favour of short term solutions like travel plans, use of public transport, improved cycle routes and car sharing.
Lee Waters AM said: “The views are varied. This is a situation of the council’s making. The council are in charge of highways and they have refused to come this morning. We are going to be feeding back through our consultation exercise to them. They can’t put their hands over their eyes and their fingers in their ears and pretend that this isn’t happening There is no clear solution to this. Even people who have previously suggested a bypass can see the limitations to that. There is an appetite for something to change in the short term. We have had a range of practical suggestions this morning we will be feeding in to the council.”
The council have offered to look at providing pollution absorbing plants to residents along Sandy Road.
It is hard to see how the politicians can convince thousands of motorists to abandon their cars or change their habits.
Long time campaigner Ray Jones says that the politicians are wrong in their stance against a bypass and that the only solution is a bypass, which he claims would take the bulk of traffic off Sandy Road.
Llanelli Online went to the consultation and this is what the politicians had to say in response to some of our questions:Sandy Road Consultation from Llanelli Online on Vimeo.
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