A £55m project to remove roundabouts on the A55 has been axed by Welsh Government.
Road chiefs had plans to change junctions 15 and 16, replacing existing roundabouts at Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr with "grade separated" junctions.
These proposals had been set for a public inquiry.
But last June, Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters announced that all new road-building projects will be stopped while the new panel - made up of climate and transport experts - conducts a wide-ranging review.
It has already seen the Llanbedr bypass halted and now the panel have recommended the A55 project is scrapped. This has been accepted by the minister and alternatives will now be looked at.
Nearly £9m has been spent on the project so far on the scheme, which was projected to cost close to £55m.
It will mean that motorists will be spared two years of roadworks that would have impacted the road during construction.
But Janet Finch-Saunders, Senedd member for Aberconwy, slammed the decision - saying they were "dangerous points on the main road to North West Wales".
The panel has also suggested a 50mph limit - on the stretch between junction 14 to Junction 16A, and also the Penmaenbach and Conwy tunnels - to improve safety although no decision has been made by Welsh Government on this.
The government is though setting up a transport commission to consider the entire transport network in North Wales.
The North Wales Transport Commission follows the model of the commission set-up after the cancellation of the M4 relief road in south east Wales and will also be led by Lord Terry Burns, former Permanent Secretary of the UK Treasury.
This year-long review will develop recommendations for road, rail, bus and active travel across the whole of north Wales.
Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters said: "If we are serious about facing up to the Climate Emergency, we have to be willing to do things differently, and critically to give people across north Wales genuine alternatives to using their cars for most journeys.
"As well as looking at the A55 corridor, the North Wales Transport Commission will also look at how we can improve sustainable transport options in rural areas. This will need a shift of investment towards public transport and I’m very pleased Lord Burns has agreed to lead a panel of local experts to set out a detailed list of projects that will be needed to make this a reality.
"This does not mean the end of road building, but it does mean a greater emphasis on looking after the roads we already have as well as investing in alternatives to give people a real choice."
Janet Finch-Saunders, Senedd member for Aberconwy, and Shadow Minister for Climate Change, said: "Nine million pounds of taxpayer’s money has so far been spent on the A55 roundabout replacement project, and what do the residents of Dwygyfylchi, Penmaenmawr, and Llanfairfechan have to show for that massive spend on projects for their communities? Absolutely nothing.
“This latest Welsh Government car crash is yet further evidence of how Welsh Labour Ministers and their co-operation partners Plaid Cymru are failing North Wales.
“Does the Deputy Minister not realise that having cars queueing for long periods to join the roundabouts is harmful to the climate and the air we breathe? Does he not realise the huge safety issues for drivers when joining the roundabouts?
“Using the climate emergency to justify leaving the roundabouts in situ is not good enough. Whilst I have no problem with encouraging genuine alternatives to using cars, the junctions are extremely dangerous points on the main road to North West Wales, and between Ireland and Europe.
“Quite frankly, I think that the Welsh Government is failing to ensure highway safety after causing years of uncertainty for local residents."
Haf Elgar, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru2, said: “This initial report from the Roads Review panel is a welcome step forward. It’s good to see that so many schemes are to be included in the review, and that there is robust and fair criteria to carry out that work.
“We’re pleased with the decision not to go ahead with the changes to junctions 14-16 of the A55 at Llanfairfechan, which was opposed by local campaigners and Friends of the Earth Conwy, and that Lord Burns will lead a north Wales transport review.
“The last thing our planet needs are damaging road schemes that make us more dependent on cars and result in more climate-damaging emissions.
“We are living in a climate emergency, and communities across Wales are already feeling the impact of severe weather on their daily lives.
“But it’s not just about putting a freeze on new roads, it is about having a sustainable transport policy that gives people high quality alternatives to driving – across Wales, including more rural areas."
“A transformation of the nation’s walking and cycling infrastructure is urgently needed, as well as vastly improved and affordable public transport.
“It’s time to invest in an economy that’s fit for the challenges of the 21st century and put Wales at the forefront of building a cleaner, fairer future for us all.”
