TRAFFIC problems around Newport must be dealt with now, regardless of whether or not the M4 relief road goes ahead, first minister Mark Drakeford has said.
Speaking in the Senedd this week, Mr Drakeford confirmed he was still yet to see legal advice on the scheme which would allow him to either give it the go-ahead or throw it out.
But Swansea East AM Mike Hedges said, with construction of any new stretch of motorway likely to take a number of years, other measures should be taken in the meantime to deal with congestion.
The Labour AM said: “The M4 if approved will take several years to complete.
“Will the Welsh Government consider solutions, such as directing traffic from the north and Midlands travelling west to use the A465 Heads of the Valleys road, making the outside lane of the M4 between junction 24 to junction 28 for through traffic only, or closing motorways junctions around Newport?”
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The first minister replied: “He's absolutely right that the problems that face residents of Newport are problems that are happening in the here and now, and that – were there to be a relief road – then it would be a number of years before that solution would be available to them.
“That does mean that we have to turn our minds actively to those courses of action that are immediately available to us.
“The improvements to the Heads of the Valleys road – another example of a major capital investment being successfully carried out here in Wales – will allow for traffic that wishes to go to south west Wales to use that route from the Midlands, rather than having to come down to the M4.”
But South Wales East AM Mark Reckless pointed out that creating a relief road had been in Labour’s manifesto ahead the 2016 Assembly Election and accused the Welsh Government of "changing their mind".
Asked how congestion on the motorway around Newport was being dealt with, Mr Drakeford pointed out a series of measures, including new variable speed limits and improvements to junctions – but did not refer to the relief road.
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But Mr Reckless said: “Your commitment was to deliver a relief road for the M4, not merely some vague improvements around Newport. Why have you changed your mind?”
The first minister replied: “The relief road proposal has been subject to an independent local public inquiry, the most comprehensive of its sort into any Welsh road scheme.
“Senior legal advice from outside the Welsh Government has been secured to ensure that advice which goes to ministers has been thoroughly tested and that it deals with all the different dimensions of this complex scheme.
“Once that advice is available, I will consider it carefully and dispassionately.”
Tolls were scrapped on the two Severn Bridges just before Christmas. And earlier this week it was revealed traffic over the two crossing was up by between 18 and 34 per cent between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve compared with the previous year.
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