THE LONG-AWAITED decision on the route of the proposed Llandeilo bypass is expected within weeks, it has been revealed.

Residents have fought for decades to get the out-of-town road in place - and it now appears that an announcement on the chosen path is imminent.

The Assembly held a public consultation in the town in April of last year with four routes on show.

A fifth was added after residents submitted their views to the Minister for Economic Development and Transport, Andrew Davies, after the event.

But ten months on from that consultation, Llandeilo is still waiting for a decision on the issue that has split an entire community.

Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM has admitted to being left frustrated over the delay of the announcement and has voiced concerns that, with the Assembly elections on the horizon, any further hold-ups would be a massive blow to the town.

He said: "I am led to believe from the Minister that an announcement on the preferred option will be made very soon.

"The people of Llandeilo have been waiting far too long for progress to be made on this issue.

"It would be a huge blow to the town if the Minister delayed the announcement any further, with the Assembly elections nearing."

Ieuan Jones, county councillor for Llandeilo, said he expected the decision to be announced in the next couple of weeks.

He added: "I know that Rhodri Glyn Thomas asked Andrew Davies in Cardiff when the announcement was going to be made.

"He said that the officers have handed all the information to him and that a decision would be made very soon.

"I've spoken with Carmarthenshire Council's head of transport Trevor Sage and he said that he expects it will be a matter of weeks, rather than months."

A spokeswoman for the Assembly refused to confirm whether the publication was imminent.

She said: "An announcement on the Llandeilo bypass is expected to be made in the spring."

The scheme is in Phase 2 of the Trunk Road Forward Programme, which includes schemes that could be ready to start by 2010 subject to statutory consent procedures and the availability of finance.