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£6m for the Old Colwyn flood defences warmly welcomed


June 13, 2020 - 1291 views

Clwyd West MS Darren Millar has welcomed an announcement by the Welsh Government that a further £6,075,000 has been allocated to improve Old Colwyn’s defences.

The Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales has revealed that he will be assigning over £16 million in transport grants to local authorities across Wales “for schemes that mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, including addressing disruptions caused on the highway network by severe weather”.

All local authorities were invited to submit applications for the Resilient Roads Fund, and Conwy County Borough Council’s application for funding for the sea defences is one of 18 successful schemes across 13 local authorities.

Darren has repeatedly called for action to improve the defences and is therefore delighted by the news.

He said: “I am absolutely thrilled that this funding includes over £6 million to construct a further section of the Old Colwyn coastal defence scheme, which will protect the highway and active travel route from adverse weather.

“This section has been particularly fragile for several years and I have raised the matter with Ministers in the Senedd on many occasions in recent years.

“Each time the defences are hit by storms, residents and businesses are on tenterhooks, so they will be as pleased as I am to hear today’s news that this problem can finally be addressed.”

Old Colwyn Cllr Cheryl Carlisle added: “It has been critical for some time for these defences to be improved in order to protect the main sewerage network, the A55 trunk road, the Old Colwyn promenade and, indeed, the North Wales railway line.

“Today’s announcement is therefore extremely welcome and I look forward to the work being completed.”