RECENT flooding once again highlighted the risk of cutting off a large part of Anglesey from vital services, the island’s MS has argued in the Senedd.

After meeting Plaid Cymru councillors and residents, Rhun ap Iorwerth asked Welsh Government to give Isle of Anglesey County Council the support to put a plan together and to fund this vital work.

Llangoed and Penmon residents are often left stranded or face the risk of being cut off due to flooding on the B5109 east of Beaumaris.

Rain and wind or high tides combine to threaten this key road link running along the sea edge.

In a recent meeting with the Ynys Môn MS, the Plaid Cymru councillor, Carwyn Jones, said: “This has been a problem for many years.

“Myself and the other two Plaid Cymru councillors in the area, Cllr Gary Pritchard and Cllr Alun Roberts, have been pushing the council and the government to try to solve this problem.

"This is a problem that affects many people and businesses. Penmon residential home is affected, Haulfre and the school are also affected far too often.

“Local residents find it very difficult to get to work; this is a problem that needs to be sorted urgently. ”

In the Senedd yesterday (January 26), Mr ap Iorwerth raised the issue with the deputy minister for climate change, Lee Waters.

He said: “This is happening more and more often, and although there are no homes at risk directly from the flooding, thousands of homes in the areas of Llangoed and Penmon are isolated, care homes can't be reached, routes for emergency services are interfered with, and there is a real risk.

“I know there is no easy solution, but it has to be done, and I do know that officials from the council share my concerns.

“My main question is: crucially, can I ask for a long-term commitment to the resilient roads fund in order to ensure that there is funding available for ensuing years, in order to find a solution to this specific problem and other problems, such as A5 in Pentre Berw, too?

“That is, where homes are not directly at risk, but where the risk to the resilience of transport and to community safety is very real indeed?”

Mr Waters agreed, and replied: “This is very real indeed, and we know it's going to get worse as climate change intensifies and making our roads resilient to the threats of storms.

“We created the resilient roads fund, and we are spending £18.5million this year for local authorities to bid in to deal with schemes like the one that Rhun mentions.

“And, in the next financial year, authorities will be able to continue to apply for funding for schemes they've already begun.

“We do have difficult budget choices to make—there's no point pretending otherwise—and we're not able to do all that we want to do.”

Mr ap Iorwerth will continue to work with the community and the local authority to seek a solution for this problem, and other issues that arise on Ynys Môn.