The Vale of Glamorgan Council has rejected renewed calls for a Dinas Powys by-pass and told hardworking commuters to walk or cycle instead.
The Labour-run Vale council have said that the ‘provision of a by-pass scheme is not considered to be required’ in news which is likely to infuriate local taxpayers who sit in gridlock on a near daily basis.
Local Conservatives have led the calls for a by-pass in Dinas Powys with Vale MP and Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns expressing his frustration at the response and calling for the Council to support the community and seek funding for the project from the Welsh Government.
Mr Cairns has also highlighted the importance of keeping the route of the proposed by-pass clear so that future Council members have the opportunity to take action to support the community where the current Council has failed to.
The Vale of Glamorgan Member of Parliament, Alun Cairns, said:
“The need for a by-pass is the number one issue raised on the doorstep in Dinas Powys. Local people I speak to are already frustrated about a lack of action on this issue and will inevitably be angered with the Council's glib suggestion that they walk or cycle instead.
“The Council should get behind the community and join us in the campaign to secure funding for the project from the Welsh Government. They must also ensure that the proposed route of the by-pass is kept clear of new housing development, so that a future Council has the opportunity to take action if they will not.”
Vince Driscoll, a community councillor in Dinas Powys, said:
“The Vale Council are supposed to deliver for the people of Dinas, so for a Cabinet Member to suggest a few walking and cycling schemes will solve the problem of congestion in the village is frankly ridiculous.
“Lis Burnett is effectively telling residents who are concerned about the safety problems excessive traffic can bring – “on your bike, we’re not interested”.
“It is this sort of arrogant and dismissive attitude that makes people angry. Dinas wants a by-pass, Dinas needs a by-pass and it is abundantly clear only the Conservatives will deliver a by-pass.”
Vale resident and leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Mr Davies, said:
“The decision to flat-out reject a by-pass for Dinas Powys is a kick in the teeth for hardworking commuters, plenty of whom have to endure chaos on their way to and from work on a near daily basis.
“For the Labour-run Vale Council to suggest to people they should simply consider walking or cycling to work is not good enough and sadly demonstrates an administration which is out-of-touch with the feeling of the local community.
“It’s important to recognise the congestion doesn’t just impact those who live in Dinas Powys, it has a far wider reaching impact on commuters from areas such as Barry, Sully and Penarth where there has recently been approval for a number of controversial large-scale housing developments.
“We’d all love to live in a world where we could travel quickly and reliably on public transport but we have to be realistic and at present such infrastructure isn’t available.
“Sadly, the Welsh Labour Government doesn’t seem to want to prioritise the transport network in the Vale so this ‘head-in-the-sand’ approach from the council is hugely disappointing and ultimately lets down hardworking taxpayers.”