Route and branch: Petition to name bypass after famous Brimmon Oak Tree
Campaigners who saved the ancient Brimmon Oak Tree from being flattened by a bypass have called for the new road to be named after it when work is completed.
Mervyn Lloyd Jones and Rob McBride, known as the 'Tree Hunter', campaigned tirelessly when the Welsh Government's route for the Newtown bypass planned to take out the Brimmon Oak, which sits on Mr Lloyd-Jones' land.
A petition was started to save the 1,000-year-old tree, and after discussions with contractors and government officials, the bypass route was moved to preserve the roots of the tree and stop it from being killed.
Now the pair have launched a petition to urge the government to named the new road the Newtown Brimmon Oak Bypass.
A statement on the petition says: "We the undersigned call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh Government to consider our proposal to officially name the much needed and historic, new road section of the A483, the ‘Newtown Brimmon Oak bypass’.
I"n recognition of the enormously positive publicity and attention that one of the most significant ‘Natural Monuments’ of Montgomeryshire, namely the Brimmon Oak, has brought to Newtown, to the region and to Wales.
"Firstly becoming ‘Welsh Tree of the year’, followed by winning the title of ‘UK Tree of the year’ shown on national TV , and ultimately, in being awarded second place in the highly prestigious European Tree of the year contest in a much reported ceremony in the EU Parliament Brussels.
"We feel that this culturally significant ancient Welsh Oak tree that has now become known throughout Wales, the UK and indeed around the globe be honoured in this ultimately fitting manner."
Thousands of people signed the petition to see the bypass moved to preserve the tree, and the hope is that people will back to the campaign in their numbers again.
In September last year, businessman Peter Webber who owns the company Cellpath, called for the town's most famous people to be honoured on different parts of the roundabout.
He launched an idea to have statues or sculptures of fashion designer Laura Ashley and Robert Owen on various roundabouts along the route.
