A £30m safety and improvement scheme on a section of the A55 in North Wales, including a new active travel route, has been officially opened.
The Welsh Government said the Aber Tai’r Meibion scheme, which received £20.7m EU funding, addresses the increased risk of flooding due to climate change and improves safety on the route, which is over 50 years old.
Work included removing eight gaps in the central reservation where agricultural vehicles used to cross, and over 4km of a ‘new and improved’ active travel route (on and off-road paths) linking Abergwyngregyn with Tal-y-bont, Llanfairfechan and National Cycle Network 5.
Lesley Griffiths and John Mather shake hands in front of the plaque
Minister for North Wales Lesley Griffiths unveiled a plaque to mark the official completion of the scheme.
She said: ‘This scheme has delivered real improvements to this stretch of the A55, making it safer for the travelling public and increasing its resilience against the impact of climate change.
‘We know this stretch has suffered from flooding in the past, and the work which has now been completed will make a real difference in protecting the highway.
‘I’m also very pleased to see the active route, which provides a vital link for cyclists and walkers on this particularly scenic section of the route. It’s good to see the route already well-used by cyclists.’
John Mather from Cycling UK said: ‘Cycling UK greatly appreciates the efforts made by the Welsh Government, Gwynedd Council and Griffiths Contractors to provide new and improved facilities for cyclists using NCN route 5.
‘These new and improved paths will do much to improve road safety and make cycling along the North Wales coast more direct, attractive, and comfortable for all who. We look forward to working closely with the Welsh Government and other stakeholders and to helping them deliver an integrated, accessible and sustainable transport system.’
Richard Tidmarsh, infrastructure director at Griffiths said: ‘We are proud to have been a part of this project and to have played a role in its successful completion.
‘I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all of our local supply chain partners and stakeholders who have worked with us to make this day possible. I would also like to thank our construction team, who have worked tirelessly to ensure that this project has been completed to the highest standards.’
The A55 is the main north Wales coastal route and part of Euroroute E22 Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).
In February, the Welsh Government cancelled a swathe of road schemes and set out new conditions for all future schemes to meet, including supporting modal shift.
