Road closure compensation appeal

The road has now been re-opened with weight restrictions

An MP has called for the Welsh Assembly Government to compensate businesses which he says lost money because of the closure of part of the A5.

Clwyd West MP David Jones said the assembly government had not acted with "sufficient urgency" and an alternative route was not opened until "too late".

Mr Jones claims some local businesses have lost up to 80% of their income.

The assembly government said it had worked "strenuously" to minimise disruption to the local community.

The 1km stretch between Dinmael, Conwy, and Ty Nant, in Denbighshire, which was closed on 26 May, was re-opened on Friday with a weight restriction.

The Welsh Assembly Government has worked strenuously to minimize disruption to the community Assembly Government spokesperson

At the time of the road closure, the assembly government said the rock face was unstable, and there was potential for "catastrophic falls" onto the carriageway.

But Mr Jones said it had been clear many months before that there were "severe problems" with rock anchors.

Part of the old A5 was opened to cope with traffic, but Mr Jones said the alternative route was put in place "too late".

Compensation

He said: "Some businesses are about 80% down. They actually lost the bank holiday weekend, one of the most important weekends of the year.

"If they (the assembly government) had acted in good time it would not have been necessary to close the road for so long and those businesses would not have been so badly affected."

He said the assembly government should "urgently" invite businesses to put together claims for their losses and compensate them.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Assembly Government said: "The Welsh Assembly Government has worked strenuously to minimize disruption to the community and businesses in the area, including re-opening the old A5 whilst these essential works are carried out."