Construction of new A483 junctions pencilled in for 2022 – thin info event trails public consultation later this year

A rough timeline has been made public over possible improvements to some junctions with the A483 around Wrexham.

Ken Skates AM said the event yesterday, “…was to show how the Welsh Government is looking at options to improve the A483 between Junction 3 and 6 in Wrexham”, and it did just that, explaining the Welsh Government will look at options and launch a consultation later this year.

Ironically due to issues on the A483 we paid a very short visit, and initial impressions was that there were almost more information boards outside the room pointing people to five bilingual information boards inside, in what was a very thin presentation for such a major project.

Some info panels dealt with the background and locations of the junctions in question, with the meat of the presentation being in a new timeline that we think is public for the first time, showing that work could take place in 2022.

Just over a year ago Ken Skates AM announced that key congestion points on the bypass would be ‘resolved inside three years’, with funding announced at the same time.

The firmer timeline that has now emerged shows a public consultation due later this year, a public inquiry in 2020, a local public inquiry in 2021 and then a final decision by Ministers on the project.

Detail design and construction is pencilled in for 2022, a slippage of around a year from the announcement last year.

The small public event also had project team members on hand to answer questions, however most appeared to be listening to a range of resident complaints over the current issues on the bypass and surrounding roads. Listening in to some answers given it the project was described as a ‘slow process’ with a possible Welsh Government statement at some point in the first quarter of next year.

The public exhibition is repeated tomorrow (27th June) in the Catrin Finch Centre on the Glyndwr University campus in Wrexham from 1pm until 8pm.

Previously Economy and Transport Minister Ken Skates has said of the events: “Ensuring a reliable and efficient road network is a key priority for the Welsh Government and that’s why action must be taken to resolve existing issues affecting the A483 between Junction 3 and 6.

“Being a regular user of this section of the road, I fully understand the present issues and recent studies have found that current traffic congestion on the route is a constraint to everyday commuting as well as the economic growth aspirations in Wrexham. It’s important to note that doing nothing to improve the situation will impact residents and businesses in the area now and in the future.

“We are currently working on a range of options to improve this part of the A483, however we also want to work constructively with local residents and those who use the road to fully consider how this corridor and four junctions are currently used and will be used going forward.

“The public exhibitions are an excellent way of finding out more about this important scheme, why it is needed and how solutions are being developed. I’d encourage everyone with an interest to go along to the Catrin Finch Centre on the dates the information sessions are being held.”