NORTH Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has accused the Conservative government of looking to blame others and dodging questions over plans for a bypass serving Pant and Llanymynech.

The member for North Shropshire questioned David Davies MP, Secretary of State for Wales, over Rishi Sunak’s ‘broken promise’ to push ahead with the A483 bypass for both villages.

She said that Mr Davies ‘dodged’ the question, attempting to direct blame onto the Welsh Government – despite a lack of UK Treasury investment being a key factor behind a lack of progress in the project.

The bypass is the locally-backed way to improve road safety in the villages along the Shropshire/Mid Wales border, and has been a top priority of Llanymynech and Pant Parish Council for many years.

Mrs Morgan said: “Rishi Sunak promised residents of Llanymynech, Pant and Llynclys their bypass back in 2020 when he was chancellor.

“Since then, they have been looking to blame someone else, including today where the Secretary of State dodged the question.

“This is not about the colour of your rosette.

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“It’s about wanting to make life safer for the thousands of people living on top of a dangerous road carrying tonnes of haulage all the way to Holyhead.

“At the very least, the A483 must be made much safer from Llanymynech all the way up to the Llynclys crossroads.”

Mrs Morgan said she has been working closely with local residents to push National Highways, West Mercia Police and Shropshire Council for improvements since her election 18 months ago.

Highways and police officers have already pledged to investigate a speed limit reduction and a new crossing near Bryn Offa Primary School off the back of her campaign.

Mrs Morgan also recently met Government transport minister Richard Holden to make the case for cash to be spent on making the road safer.

In November last year, Mrs Morgan said the call for the bypass was ‘irrefutable’.

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She said: “The case for building the bypass is clear – it would save lives and protect two beautiful villages.

“Ordinarily I would prefer investment to go on public transport and reducing the number of cars on the road but in this case the safety justification for a bypass is irrefutable.

“All of us who drive along the A483 know how dangerous it is. It is far too narrow and far too close to thousands of people’s homes for such a major road.”