"GET your skates on Ken" is the call from residents and politicians, who are demanding progress on the delayed Caernarfon to Bontnewydd bypass.

They joined forces in Bontnewydd on Monday morning when they repeated calls to the Welsh Government to confirm a start date for the project.

Transport Secretary Ken Skates said in the autumn that a decision would be taken "in the new year’ but there has been no further news. More than 60 people took part in the protest with placards calling for action. It was attended by Cllr Peter Garlick, who represents Bontnewydd on Gwynedd County Council, Arfon’s MP Hywel Williams and AM Siân Gwenllian.

The matter was also raised by North Wales AM Mark Isherwood, who has highlighted, in the Assembly, the concerns of local businesses regarding the Welsh Government’s chosen route for the bypass.

Speaking in yesterday’s 'business statement', Mr Isherwood said businesses in the area had raised concerns with him “over what they have described as the total intransigence of the Welsh Government over 10 years in considering the impact on jobs and businesses locally”.

In a joint statement, Mr Williams and Ms Gwenllian said that public frustration at the lack of progress was “boiling over".

“People are really frustrated by the continual delays to the project," the statement said. "Noisy, dirty congestion remains a huge problem for people, day in and day out. What is the minister playing at?”