THE M4 relief road, which would sweep around the southern edges of Newport and eliminate the traffic chaos at the Brynglas Tunnels, is back on track, the Argus can reveal today.

Politicians are preparing to announce fresh proposals for the 24 km road - which could be tolled - to link M4 junctions 23 and 29 at a cost of around half a billion pounds.

The route would go north of Magor, south of Llanwern Steelworks and cross the River Usk and Newport Docks on giant stilts, having a massive environmental impact. For the Assembly, the final hurdle is ensuring that a draft transport bill - giving it powers to implement major transport solutions - is included in the Queen's speech this month.

Sources at the Assembly and Westminster told the Argus: "Everything is on track and looking good".

The six-lane relief road would probably be tolled and would feature one junction to south Newport and Llanwern Steelworks.

ABP, owner and operator of the city's booming dockyards, is already demanding guarantees that shipping would not be affected.

Friends of the Earth Cymru is opposed to the plan because, it claims, it will encourage major traffic growth, global warming and car dependency and will damage wildlife sites on the Gwent Levels.

Assembly economic development and transport minister Andrew Davies is one of the architects of the latest plan.

A spokesman said: "This is one of several transport issues which will be dealt with by the minister shortly in a transport review."

David Russ, boss of the Newport and Gwent chamber and enterprise agency, said: "In survey after survey our members have put the M4 Relief Road at the top of their priorities. It will be a major boost to Newport as well as South Wales."

ABP's South Wales Ports Director John Copping said: "Newport is the engine room of our growth and it would be in nobody's interests to see this port crippled.

"We are prepared to be flexible - we won't be asking for clearance for square-rigged clipper ships because we know that every metre in height leads to a significant increase in cost.

"But we do have a huge interest in this. The council has asked us to detail the implications of it and we have put a team together to meet officials."