Welsh Government asked to press on with M4 relief road after heated row at Monmouthshire council

The Conservative-led council’s leader Peter Fox said the Welsh Government had to show ‘testicular strength’ and press on with the £1.4 billion scheme for the benefit of south Wales’ economic future.

A motion asking the authority to write to first minister Mark Drakeford on the issue was carried, with the support of several Labour councillors, on Thursday.

But some Independent councillors objected, describing the relief road as a ‘very expensive bit of tarmac’ and urging greater investment in the region’s public transport infrastructure.

Anti-relief road campaigners protest outside the Senedd in December

READ MORE: M4 relief road decision is delayed again, as protest is held against controversial plan outside Senedd

Cllr Fox, quoting the former prime minister David Cameron, described congestion around Newport’s Brynglas Tunnels as a ‘foot on the windpipe of the Welsh economy’.

“The Welsh Government needs to demonstrate that it is truly committed to its businesses and communities, it must not turn its back at this crucial time,” he said.

Labour councillor Jim Higginson questioned the motion given that the council had previously given its support to the scheme.

But he said: “There are too many bottlenecks between the Severn Bridges and the other side of Newport. It’s a disgrace that it’s been dragging on for so long.”

Conservative councillor Laura Jones was 'encouraged that Cllr Higginson had the balls' to express his views, adding: “The Welsh Government is holding back our region in a way that’s going to destroy our future economies and our children."

Conservative councillor Laura Jones

But Independent councillor Debby Blakebrough described the scheme as unsustainable, ‘certainly not’ value for money and a ‘temporary’ solution to save minutes in commuting time.

“The cost is huge, not just financially but think of the years of chaos whilst it’s being built,” said Cllr Blakebrough.

“We need an integrated, reliable public transport system. This project is only dealing with one symptom of a much bigger problem. It’s an awfully expensive sticking plaster.”

Independent councillor Debby Blakebrough

Conservative councillor Giles Howard also objected, saying the new motorway was ‘not going to suddenly unlock the south Wales economy’ but ‘create a larger traffic jam’.

Independent councillor Francis Taylor, a prominent anti-relief road campaigner, said the Welsh Government would exhaust all its capital borrowing powers paying for the project.

READ MORE: Villagers in Magor and Undy say M4 relief road is 'short-sighted'

“The motion calls for a spend of £1.4 billion but estimates say it could cost £1.7 billion on 14 miles of tarmac. That’s a very expensive bit of tarmac,” said Cllr Taylor.

Cllr Taylor also referred to a report written by Future Generations Commissioner Sophie Howe, which suggested that the money could be better spent on improving public transport.

Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

“This borrowing could be used to accelerate the South Wales Metro, which is about public over private transport and could potentially bring much greater economic benefits,” Cllr Taylor continued.

“We need modal shift, we need people to get out of their cars. [The relief road] is a 20th century solution to a 21st century problem.”

But Cllr Fox, concluding the debate, said: "I recognise people have other pressing issues surrounding infrastructure and there is a time and place for that.

"But today's focus is on [the relief road]. The Welsh Government has the money, and the tools to borrow. All they need is the testicular strength to make that decision."