ANOTHER Welsh political party has come out against building the M4 Relief Road.

Members of the Welsh Liberal Democrats voted last weekend to support a solution to redevelop the A48 Southern Distributor Road and the steelworks access road, and ruled out supporting the £1.2 billion new M4 route.

That is despite Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg being said by the Welsh Secretary to be behind the project.

The Welsh Liberal Democrat position is similar to that of Plaid Cymru, which has expressed renewed opposition to the M4 relief road in recent weeks.

It all comes after the UK Government has signalled that the Welsh Government will be given powers to borrow cash to build the new motorway, which the ruling Labour group and the Welsh Tories are backing.

Eluned Parrott, a Welsh Lib Dem AM, said: “Wales’ transport issues are simply not confined to the M4. It is unwise to spend such a large proportion of money on a relief road, potentially diverting funding away from other projects such as improving the A55 in North Wales, providing an hourly rail service on the Cambrian Line and investing properly in the South Wales Metro.

“The relief road also raises serious concerns over environmental impacts. It could result in the potential devastation of four Sites of Special Scientific Interest, as well as affecting nature reserves. It would also threaten biodiversity in the Gwent Levels, an environmental nightmare for the South East of Wales.”

However Welsh Secretary David Jones claimed in the House of Commons on Wednesday that "certain other Liberal Democrats" were entirely in favour of the proposal.

"Both the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime and Minister are united in wanting to see the road upgraded," he said.