As YOU may have heard, I recently left UKIP to join the Conservative group in the Welsh Assembly.

I hope to have more influence in the Welsh Conservative group to work on behalf of my constituents in South Wales East.

I have campaigned all my adult life to leave the EU. With the triggering of Article 50, I believe my job is done in UKIP. I now want to support Theresa May and her Conservative government as they take us out of the EU. I believe that many readers are also moving to vote Conservative at the upcoming elections.

Over the past decade, the investment into Cardiff; particularly Cardiff Bay, has been huge. The area has been regenerated from old dockland into housing some of the largest and most iconic employers in Wales. Whilst many commute to work in Cardiff, not enough of the benefits have spilled over into South East Wales.

Relative lack of infrastructure and the quality of connections to Cardiff limits the benefits we enjoy. For too long there has only been talk of improving the infrastructure links between Cardiff and Newport. The M4 cannot be both the through road to England and the commuter road into Cardiff.

The A48 needs linking with the Cardiff Bay area, and the delays are inexcusable. I am assured by ministers that the Eastern Bay relief road will be completed in June. However, to reap the benefits of this we need to dual Rover Way round to Newport Road completing what will in effect be a ring road for Cardiff. This would allow more people from our region access to the employment opportunities in Cardiff Bay.

Constituents have been in touch to discuss other issues with the roads to Cardiff and around our region. Traffic light controls and reduced speed limits approaching the St Mellons roundabout are a major concern for some, including residents of Marshfield. I am also grateful for the ideas received for improving pavements and safety around Tredegar House, refurbishment of which we look forward to seeing completed.

Infrastructure for South Wales East must improve. For too long we have been constrained by the Severn Bridge tolls to the east and insufficient links to Cardiff in the west. Government can and should do better on this and I will continue working hard to ensure improvement, starting with the halving of the Severn tolls around the end of the year.