PLANS for roads in Flintshire have been slammed as 'completely inappropriate' for the community.

Delyn MP has urged Welsh Government to scrap the Red Route after criticising plans to construct a new 13km two-lane dual carriageway linking the A55-A5119 Northop Junction (Junction 33) with the A494 and A550 north of Deeside Parkway Junction, via Kelsterton Interchange and the Flintshire Bridge.

Mr Roberts said the proposals will see the four-lane highway built straight through the Leadbrook Woods and Meadows area 'irreversibly altering the landscape', destroying huge areas of 'precious farmland', and causing 'irreparable damage' to local wildlife habitats.

With costs of the planned road already projected to be almost £100 million in excess of the 2016 forecast, the MP joins local residents, farmers, and business owners in objecting to the plans and urges the Welsh Government to look for alternative options that don’t cut through Delyn’s countryside.

He said that the proposed route may not solve 'our local congestion problems' and could even result in longer queues as traffic headed towards the coast could exit the Red Route through Flint as they avoid the 'inevitable bottlenecking' at the new Northop interchange and the usual congestion on the A55.

The MP added: “These plans are completely inappropriate for our community and it is simply unacceptable that the Welsh Government continue to have little regard for the welfare of local residents given the homes and businesses that will be impacted by the project were omitted from the Welsh Government’s recent communications.

“The Welsh Government should abandon these proposals and engage with the Westminster Government to prioritise the upgrading of the A55 which continues to be neglected to the detriment of motorists. I was elected on a manifesto commitment to upgrade the existing A55 and I urge Welsh Ministers to reach an agreement with the Department for Transport to consider alternative solutions that don’t slice a massive highway through the middle of our countryside.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said the scheme will improve active travel links.

The added: “The trunk road network in Wales, including the A55, is the responsibility of the Welsh Government. The Flintshire corridor project is part of the wider work to improve transport across North Wales, which includes investment in the North Wales Metro.

"The scheme will also include improving active travel links, bus travel links and improving the resilience of the existing infrastructure as well as reducing congestion.”