2. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on plans for the new Dyfi bridge? OAQ52806

Yes. I am very pleased to say that we're currently considering comments made by statutory and non-statutory stakeholders, and these comments will help me decide on how we should progress this particular scheme and whether a public local inquiry will be required.

Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his answer? The Cabinet Secretary will be aware, of course, and agree on the need for the new Dyfi bridge, especially in the light of flooding, which has closed the bridge on a number of occasions, as it did again last month and in August, causing significant traffic disruption. Now, I did write to you earlier in the summer and you wrote back to me in August confirming that you were expected to provide an update in this regard in September. I am a bit concerned that we haven't had that update yet. Can I ask how far away you are from appeasing, potentially, objectors, because there are just a few objectors? If those objectors can be appeased, there will be no need for a public inquiry—that would be my understanding—and, if that is the case, what then would the timetable be for construction to start on the new Dyfi bridge?

The Member is absolutely right; we are working hard to resolve what is a small number of objections to the scheme, and the Member is also right that the current bridge was not designed to carry the current volume of traffic, and so it's a major pinch point on the A487. And, as the Member highlighted, the road is also often closed due to flooding, with diversions taking place that leave motorists having to travel an extra 30 miles on many occasions. So, the proposal would see a new pumped drainage system installed at the Cambrian line railway bridge to address flooding in this area. We're going to continue to work closely with landowners to resolve the remaining statutory objectors, and we're also finalising land agreements with Network Rail.

This process, as you can imagine, given the objections that we have received, and our desire to resolve them in order to avoid a public local inquiry, has taken longer than we would have liked and longer than we had expected. However, if we can resolve the remaining objections, then we will be able to avoid a public inquiry, which would save significant time in terms of the delivery programme. Until a decision on whether a public local inquiry is required, I'm unable to confirm a specific date for the start of the works, but I do recognise the major importance of this particular project to the community and the wider area. 

Cabinet Secretary, as Russell George has said, and as you've acknowledged yourself, this is an absolutely crucial link, connecting parts of the region that I represent. The inconvenience particularly to businesses, but also to families, that occurs when that bridge is closed is really substantial. I obviously welcome the Welsh Government's commitment to address this. I was going to ask you a question about timetables, but, taking on board what you've said already, which is that it's very difficult to do that until you know whether the inquiry will need to go ahead, will you give us a commitment today to come back to this Chamber once you are aware of what the timescales are going to be, because knowing that is quite important, particularly for local businesses' planning?

Can I thank Helen Mary Jones for her question? I will commit today to issuing a statement concerning the particular project and whether a public inquiry is required once we have finalised our discussions with the objectors.