Llandeilo bypass talks 'highly positive'

A meeting between politicians and Welsh government officials over calls for a bypass in a Carmarthenshire town has been described as "highly positive".

Locals have been demanding a bypass around Llandeilo for 40 years.

Levels of air pollution were found to be exceeding national standards on the main road through the town last year.

The Welsh government said it continued to recognise the case for a bypass in Llandeilo.

The meeting between the Welsh government and local politicians was held on Friday.

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr AM Rhodri Glyn Thomas, who helped organise it along with the constituency's MP Jonathan Edwards, said: "I'm very grateful to the minister for accepting our invitation and allowing his Welsh government officials to meet with local community representatives," he said.

"It was a highly positive meeting which provided an opportunity for local councillors to share their comments on the two proposed infrastructure schemes and for us to learn of the Welsh government's intentions in the area."

Mr Glyn Thomas said he had been involved in talks about Llandeilo bypass for 20 years.

He added: "We also discussed the possibility for a traffic management system through Llandeilo, which could be implemented far more quickly than a bypass, to help ease congestion and to help tackle the dangerous pollution levels in the town."

A Welsh government spokesperson said: "The Welsh government continues to recognise the case for a bypass in Llandeilo and the scheme remains in our forward programme for road investment."

There were also discussions about phase two of Ammanford relief road.

The meeting was attended by Mr Glyn Thomas, Mr Edwards, Llandeilo's county councillor Edward Griffiths, two councillors from Ammanford and Llandeilo town councils and two Welsh government officials.