Most major road projects in Wales scrapped – list

Most major road building projects in Wales have been scrapped after the Welsh Government decided to give greater priority to environmental concerns.

Plans for a third Menai bridge will not go ahead, nor major M4 improvements or the controversial £300m Red Route in Flintshire.

Of around 55 road projects placed under review, just 17 were green-lighted and even those come with recommendations for further modifications.

The publication of the Welsh government’s National Transport Plan follows a year-long review.

Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters said the time had come to set the direction for the future of transport in Wales.

He also blamed funding cuts and inflation for curbing the programme.

He told the Welsh Senedd: “We will not get to Net Zero unless we stop doing the same thing over and over.”

“When we published the Wales Transport Strategy two years ago, we committed to start upon a llwybr newydd – a new path.

Waters said: “The publication of this Roads Review, along with the National Transport Delivery Plan, and our new Roads Policy Statement, represents a major step forward on that journey.”

Strategic Welsh road network review
KEY – 1.Could proceed with changes – 2.Halted – 3.Insufficient info for review
South West Wales
2. M4 J43-47 Swansea
2. M4 J38-43 Port Talbot
3. A487 Fishguard to Cardigan
1. A40 Carmarthen to Llandeilo Corridor
1. A40 Carmarthen to St Clears
1. A4076 Haverfordwest
1. A48 Cross Hands to Pensarn Corridor (final decision to be taken)
2. A48 Nantycaws Junction Improvement

South East Wales
2. M4 J35-38 Bridgend
1. A4042 Southern Corridor, Pontypool to M4
1. Cardiff Eastern Transport Corridor
2. M4 Junction J32-35 & A470 Coryton to Merthyr Corridors

Mid Wales

1. A487 Dorglwyd Comins Coch
1. A40 Millbrook Farm, Brecon
2. A44 Llangurig to Aberystwyth
2. A470 Alltmawr (Chapel House Farm)
1. A470 Caersws
2. A470 Llangurig
2. A470 Llanidloes
2. A470 Pont y Bat (Felinfach)
2. A487 Llanrhystyd
2. A487 Machynlleth
2. A494 Maesgammedd Road Jnct Improvement
2. A487 North of Aberarth
1. A487 Rhiwstaerdywyll

North Wales
2. A494 Lon Fawr Ruthin/ Corwen Road
1. A487 Llwyn Mafon
2. A483 Wrexham Bypass Junction 3 to 6
2. A5/ A483 Halton Roundabout
3. A55 At-grade crossing review
2. A55 J33b Ewloe to A494 Queensferry interchange corridor study
2. A55 – Junction 23 to 24 Corridor Study
2. A55 – Junction 24 to 29 Corridor Study
3. A55 – Junction 30 to 32a Corridor Study
2. A55 Junctions 14-16a (review completed)
3. A55 Slow moving vehicle over taking restrictions
2. A55 / A494 Network Resilience Study
2. Flintshire Corridor Improvement
3. Third Menai Crossing

Economic development
3. Warren Hall, Flintshire (North Wales)
3. Llanfrechfa, Cwmbran (South East Wales)
3. Celtic Business Park, Fishguard (South West Wales)

South West Wales
3. Llanelli Urban and Coastal Belt Network Improvements
3. Carmarthenshire Strategic Public Transport Corridors
1. Cymmer Carriageway Improvements, Neath Port Talbot
1. Newgale Coastal Adaptation and A487 diversion scheme
2. Northern City Link Sustainable Transport Corridor, Swansea

South East Wales
1. Aberbeeg Road, Blaenau Gwent
1. A469 Troedrhiwfuwch
2. Cynon Gateway North
2. Llanharan Bypass
1. Severn Tunnel Junction Access

North Wales
2. NW Metro – Abergele Town Centre Congestion Improvement
1. NW Metro – Llandudno Congestion Improvement Phase 4
2. Chester-Broughton Growth Corridor (North Wales)

 

The Roads Review Panel consisted of an independent expert group tasked with assessing the present programme against the new roads policy for a modal shift in transport towards net zero.

Waters said: “Let me be very clear at the outset, we will still invest in roads – but we are raising the bar for where new roads are the right response to transport problems.

“We are also investing in real alternatives, including investment in rail, bus, walking and cycling projects.

“Of course, doing that in an age of austerity is very challenging. Not only are we not getting our share of HS2 investment, but the UK Government is pushing many bus services over a cliff edge, as well as slashing our capital investment budgets.

“Even if we’d wanted to keep progressing all the road schemes in the pipeline we just do not have the money to do so.

“Our capital budget will be 8% lower next year in real terms as a result of the UK Government’s failure to invest in infrastructure.”

The panel also set out four new road building tests to apply when considering investment in future proposals.

Going forward, the Welsh Government will only consider future road investment for projects that:

Reduce carbon emissions and support a shift to public transport, walking and cycling
improve safety through small-scale change
help the Welsh Government adapt to the impacts of climate change
provide connections to jobs and areas of economic activity in a way that maximises the use of public transport, walking and cycling

In developing schemes, the focus should be on minimising carbon emissions, not increasing road capacity, not increasing emissions through higher vehicle speeds and not adversely affecting ecologically valuable sites.