Plea to end traffic chaos

Bank holiday traffic chaos has led to a renewed call for a long-awaited bypass in a Mid Wales town.It followed virtual gridlock in Newtown yesterday, largely due to the big rush back from the Welsh coast.

Campaigners say the town's reputation as a notorious bottleneck has been made even worse since last month's opening of a Lidl superstore in Llanidloes Road added traffic to a busy junction.

Councillor Russell George today called for a bypass to solve Newtown's traffic problem.

The Powys County Council member for Newtown Central said: "While the new store means good news for the area, it has only increased the problem of traffic congestion in the town.

"The bank holiday traffic has only added to the chaos and I think the problem only stands a chance of getting better with a bypass."

He said the junction at the new Lidl store, which was open yesterday between 8am and 8pm, would also need to be altered.

"The junction cannot remain in its current form because it is making the traffic problem even worse with motorists struggling to get in and out of the store. I will be speaking to the Trunk Road Agency to ask them to consider how to alleviate the problem," he said.

"The problem was anticipated by all concerned except, it would appear, by those who made the decision.

"So I will be asking the agency how this has been allowed to happen."

He said residents had been calling for a Newtown bypass for more than half a century without success.

Paul Hebbelthwaite, Lidl development executive, said: "Traffic congestion increasing in the town was looked at during the planning stages and planners did not think it would cause too much of a problem."

A Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) spokeswoman said public consultations on the proposed Newtown bypass scheme would take place next year.

Earlier this year traffic consultants were appointed to investigate ways to reduce traffic problems in the town, with a bypass being one of the hot favourites.

The WAG spokeswoman said: "Newtown is identified as a pinch point on the network and improvements to the traffic situation in the town are seen as of strategic importance."

By Anwen Evans