Newtown bypass closer after contractor is named
A new £5.6 million bypass which will end bottlenecks in a Mid Wales town has moved a step closer after the contractors were revealed.
Work is due to start on the Newtown bypass in late 2014 or early 2015 and will put an end to the daily five mile queues to get in and out of the town.
The Welsh Assembly said today that it has appointed Alun Griffiths Contractors Ltd of Abergavenny, South Wales, to the project, which will see 3.5miles of new road built to the south of the town.
Edwina Hart, Welsh Assembly transport minister, said she will now work with the contractors through the design and development stage on to statutory process and then construction.
She said: "I am delighted to be able to award the contract for this very important project, which will improve the quality of life for the people of Newtown and improve journey times and safety along the A483 and A489.
"The contract will also include further transport improvements for the town including footway improvements and provisions of cycle ways. Once the bypass is completed, further improvements to the traffic flow through the town will be made.
Encouraging
"It is also encouraging to see that a Welsh company has won this tender, which will help safeguard Welsh jobs and result in money staying in the local economy.
"The procurement process was conducted under the OJEU Restricted Procedure. Following a pre-qualification competition, five contractors were invited to tender for the contract.
"The next stage of the project will be the preparation of the preliminary design and publication of the draft orders, which is expected in April 2014."
Mr George, whose 10,000-strong traffic petition and persistent ministerial lobbying have kept the pressure on the Welsh Government to progress with the project, said he is delighted with the news.
He said: "I'm extremely pleased that the contractor has finally been appointed as these improvements will provide much needed relief to residents and businesses across Mid Wales.
"This new bypass will not only improve journey times but will also help further the economic development of the region. While it is a few months later than the Welsh Government initially suggested both the First Minister and the Transport Minister have assured me that there will be no slippage in the project timescales."
Glyn Davies, Montgomeryshire MP, added: "I am delighted by this announcement as the construction of the bypass is a vitally important piece of infrastructure not just for Newtown but for the whole of Wales."
