For well over 45 years Sandy Road has experienced traffic congestion and bad air pollution and even though there has been ample room and opportunity for a relief by-pass road various Council's (Llanelli Borough, Dyfed County and Carmarthenshire County Council have steadfastly ignored or refused to ease the plight of the local residents.

The World Heath Organisation (WHO) limit 40ugm3 for NO2 is continually being breached and as a result very many people in Sandy Road suffer with respiratory illnesses, Carmarthenshire County Council dispute that the pollution levels are as high as they are, an attempt by the Council to exclude Sandy Road from the AQMA (Air Quality Management Area) was unsuccessful after local residents applied pressure necessary to get the area included which it was eventually.

Not only have Carmarthenshire County Council constantly ignored our plight but have allowed massive 355 housing development at Stradey Park, an inappropriate area (such as on a flood plain), a development that places concentrated pressure on Sandy Road's A484 carriageway because of that developers insistence of placing traffic lights in the worst possible location simply because they were being paid for by that developer.

The Council could not afford the cost so agreed, even though the Section 106 payment from the site for the "benefit of the local community" to mitigate such issues was taken away to help build Park y Scarlets for the "benefit of the WIDER COMMUNITY" .

Now their Planning Committee have approved a 210 housing development over a mile away as long as the traffic flow in Sandy Road can be improved, the traffic from this proposed development will constantly use Sandy Road, the only answer is the relief by-pass road, especially when the following developments that will use Sandy Road, the only route West out of Llanelli are in the pipeline - Wellness Centre at Delta Lakes, 600 houses on the Grillo Site (Burry Port), 150 houses on the outskirts of Pembrey, 150 extra homes on the former Godig Hotel site (Burry Port), so any small improvements (if any) will soon be taken up by the above developments.

Everybody knows that, there is an appropriate area which would be surrounded by a small forest, bushes and greenery that will vastly dilute pollution (a proven fact) where cyclist/walkers and traffic can be adequately catered for with the proper planning, but instead the Council have commissioned Atkins to develop a plan to achieve their target of improving the flow of traffic in Sandy Road.

Locals would love to see what the remit the Council gave Atkins because every suggestion is pointing towards the worst possible option for the residents and the relentless pursuit of chasing Council Tax money through these massive developments will eventually years down the line come back for even more calls for a relief by-pass road, which by then will cost even more

Initially Atkins created a virtual meeting on the issue and invited many people who do not have a computer or are even online to take part, then an online consultation was created to ask peoples opinions without any plans being shown, after more pressure people not online were offered the chance of obtaining "hard copies" of the consultation with plans (but they had to request them in writing), this consultation ends on June 8th 2021.

The results of which we believe have already been decided as the Council's favoured option is to widen the road by removing the frontages of 19 houses against the wishes of the residents, when the removal of the traffic lights from Maesycoed to Denham Avenue and a mini roundabout placed there instead might achieve so results, we also believe that the contractors have already been awarded the contract for this.

All the best options in order of merit have already been excluded on the Atkins Report (1) By-pass - Economic (to expensive, more expensive years down the line), Ecologic,( create more pollution, even though it would be surrounded by trees and greenery), Socially, (that people who use the area for walking and cycling will suffer, which would not be the case as as most of the route would be secluded - however there is no such social consideration for the Sandy Road Residents (2) a One-Way system with Sandpiper Road, this road is not strong enough, (3) Third exit out of the Stradey development via Stradey Park Avenue or the Travellers Lane, as well as a second exit out via the same route for the massive Furnace Primary School - the route would have to traverse a river course, drainage/sewer system and there is an Electric Pylon in the way ( the road has already been built passing all these so called obstacles.

Nothing other than the Council preferred option of compulsory purchase is being considered, they ignore the fact that the 19 houses have their front door steps 3 feet above road level and would need steps/ramps down to road level as well as a pavement of two wheelchair widths for safety, Atkins suggest the steps would not be needed as they intend raising the road in a cycling velodrome style which would not only take the road a carriageway closer to these homes, increasing the pollution levels by around 40% but also exposing more of vehicle exhausts to the residents as well as pollution levels, vibration damage which the houses already suffer from would increase, this is a greater threat to health, safety and the general welfare of us all.

Please support the Sandy Road residents by voting for a Relief By-Pass for us

Thank you