 The purpose of this presentation is to summarise the work we've undertaken since our last public consultation event in April 2019. We've reviewed your feedback from that consultation to further develop the shortlist of options. In addition, we've identified complementary options to improve walking and cycling, public transport and car parking in Flandylo and Firefac. Stage 1 of the Welsh Government Transport Appraisal Guidance Process, or WELTAG for short, concluded in 2018, when the study identified a long list of 41 potential options and recommended 11 shortlisted options to be progressed at WELTAG Stage 2. These options were presented at the public consultation in April 2019. As a reminder, here are the 11 shortlisted options that we consulted on. NB1, which is traffic lights on Ross Mine Street, excluding any relief, road or bypass option. NB2, which was removal of parking on Ross Mine Street, again with no relief, road or bypass. NB5, which was restriction of HGVs, so this would include a legal requirement on Bridge Street and Ross Mine Street, again with no bypass. This option included a one-way system to ease the flow of traffic. Option NB6 was to combine NB1 and NB2. NB7 was also a combination of NB1 and NB2, but the critical difference between NB7 and NB6 is the HGV legal restriction. We also consulted on option TC1A, which would include any of the relief road options. This is a one-way system on Ross Mine Street, which allows for widening of the footpaths and improvements of the public realm. Five different relief road alignment options were also considered. So what was the feedback from our consultation in April 2019? We originally held a stakeholder workshop in which 29 people attended. Public consultations were then held on the 2nd, 3rd and 6th of April, with a total of 404 attendees. 243 responses to our questionnaire were provided. That information provided informed us of the preferences from those that attended. You can see from the pie chart that your feedback choices are approximately presented as a third each. The blue choices would like to see a town centre improvement only, with no relief road. The red choices would like a combination of a bypass with town centre improvements. Finally, the green choices would like to see a bypass or relief road on its own. Also on this slide you can see a bar chart which shows how each of the options scored from our feedback. The HGV removal in NB6 scored quite highly and also the range of relief road options, BE1A through to BE6 were also reasonably popular. This information has previously been uploaded to the Welsh Government website. Just to review how we have developed these options. We have assessed the feedback from the consultation event and appraised how the options align with project objectives. We have then investigated the technical feasibility to deliver the options, which has resulted in the evaluation of 11 options down to 4. The study has also further appraised the technical feasibility of delivering the options against the feedback of the 1993 Public Inquiry. We have developed detailed plans for the constrained area around the railway station and developed a new flood impact model for Flandylo and Firefark. We have also been progressing detailed surveys for ecology and the environment, as well as undertaking a topographical survey. We have conducted a range of stakeholder engagement with Welsh Government Network Management, Sutra, Carmarthenshire County Council, NRW, Sustrans, Focus Groups, Chamber of Trade, Network Rail and Transport for Wales, amongst others. We have delivered a questionnaire survey for those businesses in Flandylo Town Centre. We have also held two meetings with the Independent Review Panel, which is made up of specialists from a range of groups, including Carmarthenshire County Council, Welsh Government, Sustrans and Future Generations Wales. We were originally planning to undertake a public consultation in November or December 2019. However, at the request of the review group and in particular Sustrans, we were asked to undertake additional work before presenting the options. The study has then been disrupted by Covid-19, which has delayed this round of consultations, which was originally planned for April 2020. During this delay, we have undertaken further feasibility work to improve the options presented. We have also investigated the options for a virtual consultation and have now developed this online public consultation, which launched on the 29th of September. As we mentioned on the last slide, a refinement of the short list of options was undertaken, including on how the options met the project objectives. These project objectives were initially generated during the stakeholder workshops and subsequently agreed by the review group at the start of the WellTag Stage 1 study. The agreed project objectives are to preserve the strategic function of the A483, improve pedestrian and cyclist safety within Flandylo and Firefach, including safe routes to school, reduce community severance within Flandylo and Firefach, improve journey time reliability through Flandylo and Firefach, reduce congestion through Flandylo and Firefach, contribute to sustainable economic growth and tourism and cultural opportunities in Flandylo, reduce exposure to air pollution for sensitive receptors and support transition to a low carbon society, ensuring the solution is sustainable and resilient, which minimizes carbon emissions associated with a transport infrastructure, which includes improving access to and provision of public transport. Flandylo and Firefach both suffer from safety issues caused by conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists with motor vehicles and HGVs. Flandylo and Firefach are not designated active travel towns and from our studies, we have noted very low levels of existing cycling, with almost no weekday cycling recorded. However, there is significant leisure cycling observed on the weekend. This is expected to further increase as the Tawi Valley path is delivered. Ascol Brodineva is a major tripper tractor in the area. A show-of-hand survey of the school children indicated that many of them would like to walk or cycle to school. However, an initial assessment of journeys to school revealed that not many of the children live within walking and cycling distance of the school, with a majority of school children accessing the area by bus. We have identified that improvements could be made to the wider pedestrian and cycling network of Flandylo and Firefach by enhancing links between the town centre, school, railway station and residential areas. A walking and cycling audit has been completed to identify those streets and roads which could be enhanced. We have also identified the opportunity to implement an electric bike hire scheme in Flandylo and Firefach in addition to increasing cycle storage facilities in the study area. We have also reviewed the public transport bus network in the area to understand existing service patterns in Flandylo and Firefach and we have consulted with Transport for Wales and Network Rail to understand the increased opportunities for rail in the heart of Wales line. In Flandylo town centre, traffic surveys have indicated that the existing 172 Bay main public car park is operating at 85% of its capacity, which is considered full. The same survey revealed on average 53% of park vehicles on Frost Mine Street over the 12-hour survey period across seven days were parked illegally. Illegally parked vehicles inhibit traffic flow and contribute to the existing conflicts between pedestrians and other road users. We have considered an option to remove on-street parking along Frost Mine Street and Bridge Street, which would ease congestion. However, this could create difficulties for residents and businesses within the town centre. A review of the wider existing car parking provision within the study area has also been undertaken to identify where additional parking could be provided. As a result of the Welltag Stage 2 process, these four shortlisted options have been developed for consultation. These options, together with a series of complementary enhancements, will be discussed in further detail over the following slides. In B7, this option provides a local Flandylo town centre improvement with no relief road. This option could be delivered as a trial, and if successful, could be modified into a longer-term solution. Traffic signal control would be introduced on Frost Mine Street between the junction of King Street and Bang Street, shown green on the image. This would reduce vehicular conflict by removing two-way traffic flow through the main high street and present an opportunity to narrow the carriageway and create a safer, pedestrian environment with widened footways. During the Welltag Stage 2 commission, we have undertaken local measurement surveys throughout the town centre to determine the physical dimensions available. The 160 metre distance between the traffic signal heads results in a green-red time running in two-minute cycles. The traffic modelling is predicting opening-year traffic queues, shown red on the image on screen, to be at 120 metres for northbound traffic from the junction with King Street to the junction with Church Street, and 90 metres for southbound traffic from the junction with bank buildings to Hugh Williams' Son and Co solicitors. The queue lengths are expected to increase in 15 years, as shown in orange on the on-screen image, with queuing extending to 207 metres for northbound traffic and 115 metres for southbound traffic. Forecast traffic queues result in the loading bay outside the Côte d'Or Hotel, the disabled parking and loading bays adjacent to the post office, and the parking near St Talo's Church being removed. However, there is scope, subject to agreement with Camarventure County Council, to reallocate space within Crescent Road Car Park for loading and disabled parking. A change in the parking charge regime could also be considered. Any stopping or parking on the highway between the signals would restrict through movement, and enforcement would need to be increased. With this option, there is no change to current public bus services. TC1A. This option provides a one-way system on Frostmine Street. It can only be delivered alongside a relief road option, which would remove up to 81% of through traffic from Frostmine Street in Slandylo Town Centre and 95% of HGV movements. Frostmine Street would also see a beneficial decrease in air pollution, with nitrogen dioxide levels reduced to similar levels observed during the Covid-19 lockdown period. We have studied how the Town Centre currently operates, and have concluded that a one-way system in a southbound direction would be complemented by a relief road. The one-way system proposed along Frostmine Street would operate from the junction with New Road and Crescent Road, as by CK Supermarket, to the junction with Kamarthen Street and Abbey Terrace, that's by the old Lloyds Bank. By removing two-way traffic flow and creating a new one-way system, carriageway widths can be reduced, which facilitates the opportunity to widen the footways, creating a safer environment for walking and cycling. To discourage the inappropriate use of side roads, traffic approaching Slandylo from the south along the A483 will be directed along the relief road. Local traffic will still be able to access southern areas of Slandylo via Slandylo Bridge and Bridge Street. With this option there will be no changes to public bus services, existing loading bays or disabled parking along Frostmine Street and Bridge Street. This option presents a greater opportunity for Town Centre improvements, which could include part-time restrictions on Frostmine Street through traffic between certain hours or full-time restrictions with access and loading only to create an attractive shared-use environment for pedestrians and cyclists. Option BE1A provides full relief to Slandylo Town Centre and the Village of Firefach. Importantly, this option removes up to 81% of through traffic from Frostmine Street in Slandylo Town Centre and up to 85% from the Centre of Firefach Village, which in turn will allow further opportunities for Town Centre enhancements such as option TC1A and improvements to health, safety and well-being such as noise and air quality within these communities. During the well-tagged Stage 2 process we have developed an extensive three-dimensional ground survey and developed a detailed three-dimensional model of the relief road. From the north with a relief road commences at the A4D Roundabout to the north of Slandylo Town Centre, where an additional arm will be added to the Roundabout. The road heads then in a south-easterly direction with the initial section elevated between 1m and 1.5m above existing ground levels on an embankment. The route then heads in a southerly direction running parallel to the existing railway line, before heading south-west across the flood plain and crossing the River Tawi on a new structure. Where the proposed relief road meets the A483 trunk road just south of Slandylo Bridge, a new Roundabout will be constructed. Some minor realignment of the existing causeway and approach walls of the Grade 2 listed Slandylo Bridge will be necessary. To the west of the new Roundabout, a short section of a relief road is provided around the north-west corner of Firefire Village, linking the A483 to the A476 just east of a Skoll Broad and Ever. The section would be elevated between 1.5m to 2m above existing ground levels, and a new Roundabout would be constructed on the A476. The route then continues in a southerly direction on an uphill gradient, passing through a section of deep excavation approximately six metres deep and crossing both the Avon Kennan and Railway Line on a proposed structure, before joining the A483 with a new junction. A combined cycleway footway is proposed along the length of the relief road, with links to the existing network and pedestrian crossings provided at key locations. Ecology and environmental surveys have been undertaken to inform any mitigation works that may be required. Option BE1B is a shorter version of Option BE1A, and provides full relief to Land Isle Town Centre and partial relief to the Village of Firefire. Importantly, this option removes up to 81% of through-traffic from Cross Mine Street in Land Isle Town Centre and up to 52% from the Centre of Firefire Village, which in turn will allow further opportunities for town centre enhancements, Option TC1A, and improvements to health, safety and well-being such as noise and air quality within these communities. A combined cycleway footway is proposed along the length of the relief road, with links to the existing network and pedestrian crossings provided at key locations. Ecology and environmental surveys have been undertaken to inform any mitigation works that may be required. Option BE1C follows the same route as Option BE1A and BE1B between the A40 and the A483, but then crosses the flood plain between the River Tawee and Usko Brodineva before joining the A476 with a new junction west of Usko Brodineva. This option provides full relief to Land Isle Town Centre and partial relief to the Village of Firefire. This option removes up to 81% of through-traffic from Cross Mine Street in Land Isle Town Centre and up to 47% from the Centre of Firefire Village, which in turn will allow further opportunities for town centre enhancements, that's Option TC1A, and improvements to health, safety and well-being such as noise and air quality within these communities. A combined cycleway footway is proposed along the length of the relief road, with links to the existing network and pedestrian crossings provided at key locations. This could form part of the new Tawee Valley path, which is currently planned to finish at Firefire. A separate walking and cycling link is proposed to provide connection with Usko Brodineva. Ecology and environmental surveys have been undertaken to inform any mitigation works that may be required. All relief road options will require a new river bridge to cross the River Tawee. There are three different bridge options being considered and consulted on. We have looked at a three-span option and a four-span option, as well as a bow string arch single-span options. Note that the after image on this slide shows the bow string arch option. We have undertaken a detailed three-dimensional ground survey of the floodplain and river channel to inform the outline design of the new structure. The existing ground levels near to the proposed structure are generally flat, and the underside of the bridge has been developed so that it is a minimum of 600 millimeters above the highest flood levels. Here we see an artist impression of the historic view from Firefark looking north to Tlandailo. It is worth noting that all three relief road options at this location would look very similar with a new roundabout at this location. The three relief road options pass through the existing railway station car park and the narrow corridor between the Tlandailo railway station and the properties on Stepney Road. A four three-dimensional ground survey was undertaken in 2019 to help inform the geometric design of the relief road and ensuring accuracy of cross-sectional information. The railway station car park will be repositioned to the west, that's the townside of the new relief road with vehicular, bus and pedestrian access maintained from Station Road. A new traffic signal controlled crossing would provide access to and from the railway station. The existing pedestrian stepped access between Allen Road and Tlandailo railway station would be upgraded to current design standards. We have investigated both a lift and a ramp option to access the station from Allen Road. We will be seeking feedback on both options during our consultation. All relief road options cross the low-lying flood planes which is designated as being at high risk from flooding by the River Taui. Whilst Tlandailo is elevated above the flood plane and is largely unaffected by flooding, areas of Firefark are within the flood plane and protected by existing flood defences. To assess the impact of the relief road options a series of surveys of the River Taui and its tributaries was commissioned and a new hydraulic baseline flood model was prepared and approved by Natural Resources Wales. There was evidence that the existing flood defences at Firefark were breached by Storm Dennis in February 2020 and we have considered this within our proposals. The relief road options have been tested within the new flood model to understand the potential impacts of each option on flood patterns. The net effect was flood levels increased marginally and mitigation measures have been identified to resolve it. Mitigation could include improvements to the existing Firefark flood bund which include raising the levels and improving the impermeability of the bund. Mitigation measures may also include large culverts or approach structures each side of the proposed new river crossing to allow water to flow through the embankment. Additionally mitigation may include smaller relief culverts under the raised section of new relief road between the new river crossing and proposed roundabout south of the existing Tlandailo bridge to allow water to flow through the embankment and away from the existing flood defences. These mitigation measures result in a marginal increase of less than 100 millimetres in floodplain levels during a 1 in 100 year flood event and a 1 in 1000 year event. The Welltag Stage 1 consultation events primarily focused on improvements to Tlandailo. We've listened to your feedback and developed complimentary measures to improve Firefark which could work with any of the options being consulted on. Walking and cycling improvements. There are options to improve the connectivity in Firefark especially around the school, village centre and railway station. As outlined previously we could introduce an electric bike hire scheme with docking stations in Firefark and Tlandailo. Vehicle access to Ascol Broad and Ever School could be improved through a ghost island junction arrangement to help reduce peak hour congestion. The A476A483 junction has been examined by Welsh Government who have developed an option to signalise the existing mini roundabout which would provide dedicated controlled pedestrian crossing facilities. A review of the wider existing car parking provision within the study area has also been undertaken to identify where additional parking could be provided. Land in public ownership has been identified in Tlandailo and Firefark which could be used to create additional car parks for public use. What are the next steps? Following this consultation the independent review panel will consider all of your feedback and will recommend a preferred option to Welsh Government by the end of 2020. A Welsh ministerial decision on a final recommendation is expected by Spring 2021.