M4 relief road
Proposed road in Wales / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The M4 relief road, also known as M4 Corridor around Newport (M4CaN),[15] was a proposed motorway, south of the city of Newport, South Wales, intended to relieve traffic congestion on the M4 motorway.
Location | Newport, Wales |
---|---|
Proposer | Welsh Government |
Project website | Official website |
Status | Rejected |
Type | Motorway extension |
Cost estimate (low) | £1.4 billion |
Stakeholders | DfT ORR Traffic Wales Minister for Transport |
Supporters | CBI[1] IoD[2] Carwyn Jones AM (Bridgend)[3] Jayne Bryant AM (Newport West)[4] Brexit Party[5] UKIP[6] Welsh Conservatives[7] |
Opponents | Future Generations Commissioner for Wales[8] Woodland Trust[9] RSPB[10] Plaid Cymru[11] John Griffiths AM (Newport East)[12] Wales Green Party[13] Lib Dems[14] |
Originally proposed by the Welsh Office in 1991,[16] it was not pursued by the Conservative Major Government. Following devolution in 1999 the project was again drawn up by Welsh Government economic and transport minister Andrew Davies in 2004[17] but this was withdrawn in 2009 when the cost estimates had risen by £660m, to a total of £1 billion.[17]
In April 2013, the Conservative-led coalition offered the Welsh Government a £830m interest-payable loan for the construction of the road.[18] In July 2014 Welsh Transport Minister Edwina Hart stated that, despite political opposition, the scheme would go ahead.[19]
Demand for investment grew in 2017 following a manifesto pledge by Theresa May which removed the Severn road tolls. The increased road use led to vehicle use increasing of 20% over the M4 bridge and 7% of traffic at the tunnels, increasing the already considerable congestion in Newport.[20]
First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones (a supporter of the road) stepped down in 2018,[21] leaving the decision to his successor, Mark Drakeford. Drakeford was required to delay his decision due to the 2019 Newport West by-election purdah.[22]
On 4 June 2019 Drakeford announced that the scheme would not proceed on the basis of escalating costs now at £1.4bn.[23] 2018 estimates had however already shown that the £1.4bn figure would have been far higher once VAT costs and overspending was accounted for.[18] Drakeford further attributed the decision to the global climate crisis and local "environmental impacts" to the Gwent Levels.[23]