Plaid Cymru criticises delays over A55 flood work

The A55 was shut late in 2015 after it badly flooded

Delays to work aimed at preventing the A55 flooding in north Wales are unacceptable, Plaid Cymru has said.

The road flooded badly less than a year ago between Tai'r Meibion and Abergwyngregyn and work was due to begin earlier in the autumn.

But it is yet to start and Plaid said there were more problems this week sparked by Storm Angus.

The Welsh Government said that flooding was not as serious and it still had to reach a deal with three landowners.

The main areas affected last year were between junction 11 (Bethesda) and junction 13 (Abergwyngregyn).

However, work between junctions 11 and 12 (Talybont) has been carried out, also protecting the village of Talybont which flooded last year.

'Fed up'

Plaid's Arfon MP Hywel Williams said: "We were told by the Welsh Government that work to mitigate recurring flooding on the A55 was due to begin this autumn but here we are, a few weeks short of Christmas and we're still waiting for a start date.

"People are rightly fed up with persistent flooding on this westwards stretch of the A55. Had this been the M4 in the south, I'm sure remedial action would have been taken sooner.

"We need assurances from the Welsh Labour Government that work to prevent further flooding on the A55 will begin in earnest. Motorists in north Wales cannot wait any longer."

The Welsh Government said the main part of this £22m scheme was due to start in 2017 but it previously announced it would be brought forward to this year, subject to agreement with landowners.

A spokesman added: "The design work and procurement of contractors has been completed. To date, agreement has been reached with one of the four landowners, and discussions are continuing with the remaining three.

"Once agreement is reached the advanced drainage scheme will begin."