Negotiations on the Pant-Llanymynech bypass are still ongoing according to a Welsh Government minister.

Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters, says funding still needed to be arranged the Welsh side of the proposed road as the money for the project has been arranged by the UK government.

“It is primarily a road in England,” said Mr Waters. “That is being funded from England, we want to make sure the cross-border links are there.

“The funding needs to be arranged because there is a fair bit of cost for the bits that are in Wales and we also have to apply our tests to the bits that we are building

“It’s not straightforward, we’re not setting out to be difficult about it – cross border travel is clearly important.”

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The funding for the bypass was made available after the scrapping of the HS2 project by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in October.

He said: “We also are continuing to develop the Pant and Llanymynech Bypass Scheme in our next round of the road investment plans.

“The section of the A5 in England will be considered by National Highways as part of the Midlands to Gloucestershire to Wales route strategy."

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The plans have gained support from across the border from North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan.

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

“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.”