SENEDD members from Gwent have criticised the Welsh Government’s approach to road-building after a panel of experts recommended scrapping dozens of new projects nationwide.

While several projects in the region escaped last month’s Roads Review unscathed, many other projects, mainly in the north of Wales, were earmarked for the scrapheap because they were considered incompatible with national climate change targets.

The Welsh Conservatives argued the policy “fails to deliver the transport infrastructure the people of Wales rightfully deserve”.

A heated debate ended bizarrely when Labour members including Mark Drakeford voted for an amended motion which was still mildly critical of the Roads Review.

Regional Conservative MSs Natasha Asghar and Laura Anne Jones criticised the government’s transport policies.

Ms Asghar said the Roads Review “does not meet the economic, social and cultural needs of a modern and dynamic Wales”.

Constituents had “inundated” her emails, including one Blackwood man whose commute to Newport takes “over an hour… because the Labour Government is grinding Wales to a halt by failing to address congestion”.

Ms Asghar said: “He says 'We will always need roads and need a healthy economy to meet the needs of a growing population. I do not believe anyone in the Welsh Assembly has any idea of what it's like to travel to work at peak times daily. They are making decisions by not living in the real world of the average human being.’”

Ms Jones said: “We could and should have seen an M4 relief road by now and a multitude of other infrastructure projects, such as the A470 in Caerphilly.

“Unfortunately, we have a government intent on punishing people who drive cars, putting off inward investment and bringing Wales to a grinding halt.”

Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell welcomed the “ambition and impetus” of the government’s Roads Review, but called for more “investment and security” for public transport providers.

“A constituent contacted me, pointing out it costs £2.20 to get on the bus on the outskirts of Caerphilly and travel into town. That's a journey of 1.5 miles,” she said. “They also said if they wanted to go to a concert in Cardiff in the evening, it wouldn't be possible for them to get home by bus, because the last bus is at 9pm.”

Ms Asghar said “buses can play a pivotal role in getting more people out of their cars, but now we're being told to expect drastic cuts to services as a result of the Welsh Government's decision to end the bus emergency scheme”.

Responding to criticism, climate change minister Julie James said “economic growth and action on climate are not opposing objectives. The greatest economic harm would result from a failure to prevent runaway climate change”.