Prime Minister hints that dualling of the A5 could be back on the table
The dualling of the A5 through Shropshire is to be considered by the Government as part of its wider regional roads strategy.
Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, also said a scheme for the Pant/Llanymynech bypass was being developed.
Mr Sunak was speaking in Prime Minister's Question Time in an answer to Clwyd South MP and the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for North Shropshire, Simon Baynes.
The MP, whose Welsh constituency will disappear in boundary charges at the next election, raised the topic of transport projects on the Wales/north Shropshire border.
During his question, Mr Baynes MP highlighted transport projects that have been confirmed by the UK government over the past few weeks, including reopening the Gobowen to Oswestry line and the electrification of the North Wales mainline. He also outlined projects that have already been achieved in the wider region, including the reopening of Corwen Station, along with the major Levelling Up Fund investment in the Llangollen and Montgomery canals.
Speaking at PMQs, Mr Baynes said: “The Prime Minister has been a great champion of transport projects on the Welsh borders, such as the electrification of the North Wales mainline, the Gobowen to Oswestry line and major Levelling Up Fund investment in the Llangollen and Montgomery canals.
"Will the Prime Minister now deliver the long-awaited Pant/Llanymynech Bypass and prioritise the dualling of the A5/A483 in Clwyd South and North Shropshire?”
Responding the Prime Minister said: “We are making significant improvements to our cross-border rail services across the union. Thanks to our decision on HS2 we can now provide the unprecedented £1 billion of investment to fund the electrification of the North Wales mainline that will ensure reliable, punctual journeys between North Wales and multiple cities across the North West of England.
"We also are continuing to develop the Pant/Llanymynech Bypass scheme in our next round of the road investment plans and the section of the A5 in England will be considered by National Highways as part of the Midlands to Gloucestershire to Wales Route Strategy.”
Plans for a bypass on the A483 at Pant and Llanymynech have been discussed for three decades and at one point reached the stage of a route being chosen. But financial problems led to it being shelved.
