A NATIONAL freeze on roadbuilding projects will continue "in light of the deteriorating fiscal and economic situation" in the UK, the Welsh Government has announced.

Ministers in Wales announced a moratorium on new road projects last year as part of wider plans to create a new transport policy which would decrease the reliance on car journeys.

On Wednesday, Lee Waters, the deputy minister for climate change, said he would "reconsider" the government's full response to a Roads Review he commissioned, because of budgetary pressures imposed by Westminster.

But that has been condemned by the Welsh Conservatives. Natasha Asghar, a Senedd member from Gwent who is the party's shadow transport minister, said "Labour is on road to nowhere" and should "build the roads Wales needs".

Mr Waters said "responding to the recommendations is a complex piece of work which has been further complicated by the significant reduction in our spending power following the UK Government’s financial crash".

He added: "As a result of the [UK chancellor's recent] autumn statement, the Welsh Government’s capital budgets will be 8.1 per cent lower in 2024-25.

"It is important that we now reconsider our full response to the Roads Review in light of the deteriorating fiscal and economic situation we have been placed in by the UK Government."

But Ms Asghar, long a critic of the road freeze, challenged the deputy minister's claims.

She said: "The way the Labour government [in Wales] is going about their roadbuilding freeze is driving people mad.

"It is astonishing that Lee Waters thinks it is acceptable to put infrastructure projects that drive growth, business, and jobs in Wales on hold and then has the cheek to blame the UK Conservative government who have long highlighted the folly of banning roadbuilding.

"We know that the current economic situation has been caused by an increase in global energy prices, the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, and Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine, so Labour should lay the blame there and accept that they are responsible that no roads have been built in over a year in Wales.

"Labour is on road to nowhere – it is time to put aside the dogma and build the roads Wales needs."