Martyn Jones MP and Karen Sinclair AM blast council leader for ‘political scaremongering’

11th October 2007

CLWYD SOUTH politicians, KAREN SINCLAIR and MARTYN JONES have rounded on Wrexham Council Leader Aled Roberts over comments he made calling into question the Assembly's commitment to the Link Road project in the town.

In the last Assembly, a starting date of April 2009 was announced for the scheme, but last week Aled Roberts cast doubt upon the start of the scheme and criticised the Assembly Government for letting down North Wales.

Now, Clwyd South's AM and MP have hit back after the Assembly this week re-confirmed the starting date of the project.

KAREN SINCLAIR AM said:

"Aled Roberts was in no position to cast doubt upon the starting date of the Link Road scheme in Wrexham. The Assembly Government had given absolutely no indication that the scheme was in doubt, or was in any way going to be delayed.

"Yet last week the leader of the Authority unnecessarily spread doubt in the minds of people in of the town saying the Assembly Government had "let down" the area.

"This was scaremongering by the leader of the authority for his own benefit and he should apologise for what he said.

"The road will go ahead in April 2009 because I and my Assembly colleagues have been working constructively with the Transport Minister to confirm the date of the plan. That is why this week £200,000 has been outlined by him for preparatory work for the link road.

"Aled Roberts alarmist comments moved this project on not one inch."

MARTYN JONES MP said:

"Labour's Welsh Assembly Members work tirelessly for the good of the community and the local area. It is infuriating to see a deal written off by a councillor before all the details have been fully announced. Mr Roberts was simply trying to score some cheap points in the press without any regard whatsoever for the facts of the proposal.

It is insulting to think that the Labour Party should need any lessons on delivery from the Liberal Democrats."