Janet Finch-Saunders MS has renewed calls for two controversial roundabouts on the A55 to be removed following years of collisions and delays on one of North Wales’ busiest roads.
The junctions in question — Junction 15 at Llanfairfechan and Junction 16 at Penmaenmawr — have long been criticised by motorists, residents and campaigners, with concerns raised over safety and congestion.
According to figures highlighted this week, there were 13 collisions recorded at Junction 15 between 2021 and 2026. Previous years also saw an additional 10 injury accidents at Junction 16 and five more at Junction 15.
The issue has resurfaced politically after Janet Finch-Saunders MS renewed calls for both roundabouts to be removed entirely and replaced with safer free-flow junctions.
Janet Finch-Saunders MS said:
“I call on the First Minister, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, to commit to removing the Junction 15 and 16 roundabouts, as we have seen too many accidents take place there. Previous consultations demonstrated a clear desire from stakeholders and residents for them to be removed.
“The delay in their removal has allowed this pattern of injuries and accidents to continue. Urgent action must now be taken, and this must become a key priority for the new Plaid Cymru Welsh Government.”
Unlike much of the A55, which operates as a continuous dual carriageway, traffic at Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr is forced through at-grade roundabouts where vehicles must slow, stop and cross traffic flows. The junctions are often heavily congested during busy holiday periods and are seen by many drivers as accident blackspots.
Previous Welsh Government plans explored replacing the roundabouts with grade-separated junctions — potentially involving flyovers, underpasses and slip roads — allowing through traffic on the A55 to continue without interruption while local traffic would join and leave via dedicated access roads.
Consultation and design work on the proposals reportedly cost around £9 million, with Conwy County Borough Council among those supporting the removal of the roundabouts during earlier consultations.
However, the project stalled in recent years amid wider reviews of road-building schemes in Wales, rising construction costs and changes in Welsh Government transport policy.
Supporters of the upgrade argue that removing the roundabouts would improve safety, reduce congestion and create more reliable journey times along the North Wales coast route to Holyhead and Bangor.
Photo: Llanfairfechan roundabout on the A55 (Credit Traffic Wales)
