Some of the most high profile road building schemes in Wales have been scrapped following a review of road building projects in Wales.
The Welsh Government made the announcement on Tuesday, February 14, while publishing the results of a wide-ranging roads review by a panel of experts. It follows a freeze on new developments announced in June 2021. Despite the review, some major projects were allowed to progress including the Llandeilo bypass in Camarthenshire and the hugely expensive dualling of the A465 through the south Wales Valleys.
The announcement made by deputy minister Lee Waters in the Senedd affects more than 50 road-building projects around Wales including plans for a third Menai bridge and the controversial plans to expand the A55 in Flintshire, known as the Red Route, both of which are scrapped.
Other projects scrapped include future improvements to the M4 that had been proposed around Cardiff, Bridgend, Port Talbot and Swansea, as well as several mid Wales safety schemes. The full list of projects is at the bottom of this article. Some major projects, like the plan to complete the A4232 around the south side of Cardiff, have been classified as local authority schemes and will be considered for grant funding in future if they meet the Welsh Government's new criteria.
The review was designed to make sure investment in roads was consistent with the Welsh Government's objectives and asked, among other things, whether the schemes were aligned with policy and good for the environment, people, communities, places, the economy, culture and the Welsh language.
After 17 months of analysis, meetings and site visits, the panel (chaired by Dr Lynn Sloman MBE) has now returned its findings, which include a detailed decision on each project submitted. The Welsh Government said it has 'carefully considered' the panel's advice said this will inform its National Transport Delivery Plan (NDTP).
Of the 59 schemes identified by the panel, 46 made it to this final decision stage (as eight were 'out of scope' or had insufficient information, two were reviewed early, and three were 'economic development schemes'). This is the breakdown of what happened to all 59 (scroll down for a rundown of what's happening to each individual project):
- 15 will be 'progressing,' meaning they are included in the NDTP, although some will be revised
- 2 were 'replaced by new projects,' but won't go ahead in the form that was proposed.
- 15 were 'superseded by new programmes,' effectively meaning they won't go ahead.
- 9 won't be progressing 'at this stage,' but could be reconsidered in future funding rounds.
- 15 have been classified as 'local authority schemes,' meaning local authorities can apply for grant funding in the future.
- 3 have been classed as 'economic development schemes' but the panel didn't specifically decide on them.
As part of the process, the panel identified new 'future road building tests.' In effect, this means that all future roads being built have to:
- Support 'modal shift' (that is, people changing from using private cars to other forms of transport including buses and cycling) and reduce carbon emissions.
- Improve safety through small-scale changes including speed limits.
- Help the Welsh Government to the impacts of climate change.
- Provide access and connectivity to jobs and centres of economic activity in a way that supports modal shift. This includes connecting new Freeport developments and preventing 'rat-running.'
The panel's report says that the focus of road-building should be on minimising carbon emissions, not increasing road capacity, increasing emissions or adversely affecting ecologically valuable sites.
Deputy climate change minister Lee Waters said: "When we published the Wales Transport Strategy two years ago, we committed to start upon a llwybr newydd - a new path. 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.
"Let me be very clear at the outset, we will still invest in roads. In fact, we are building new roads as I speak - 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."
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He added: "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. With fewer resources it becomes even more important to prioritise and the Roads Review helps us to do that."
These are the details on which of the projects will go ahead and which won't:
These are the projects not going ahead
A470 Alltmawr (Chapel House Farm):
Not progressing.
A5/ A483 Halton Roundabout:
Not progressing.
Chester-Broughton Growth Corridor (North Wales):
Not progressing.
Mid Wales Safety Schemes - A470 Llangurig, A470 Llanidloes, A470 Pont y Bat (Felinfach), A487 Llanrhystyd, A487 Machynlleth, A487 North of Aberarth:
All not progressing.
A483 Wrexham Bypass J3-6:
Not progressing as this has been superseded by the new NDTP A483 multi-modal project.
Third Menai Crossing:
Not progressing as the 'revised schemes' for the Menai Corridor were recommended instead. The Welsh Government has asked the North Wales Transport Commission to make reccommendations on how to achieve this.
A55 At-grade crossing review and slow-moving vehicle overtaking restrictions:*
Not progressing as these were superseded by the new multi-modal programmes - and in any case were 'early-stage studies' not reviewed by the panel
A55 / A494 Network Resilience Study:
Not progressing as this was superseded by the new multi-modal programmes.
A55 Junction 23 to 24 Corridor Study:
Not progressing as this was superseded by the new multi-modal programmes.
A55 Junction 24 to 29 and 30 to 32a Corridor Studies:*
Not progressing as these were superseded by the new multi-modal programmes. - and in any case were 'early-stage studies' not reviewed by the panel
A55 Junctions 15 and 16, 29-33b, 32-33:
Not progressing as these were superseded by the new multi-modal programmes.
Flintshire Corridor Improvement:
Not progressing as this was superseded by the new multi-modal programmes.
A55 J33b Ewloe to A494 Queensferry interchange corridor study:
Not progressing as this was superseded by the new multi-modal programmes.
M4 Junctions 32-35 and A470 Coryton to Merthyr:
Not progressing as these were superseded by the new multi-modal programmes.
M4 J35-38 Bridgend, J38-43 Port Talbot, M4 J43-47 Swansea:
Not progressing as these were superseded by the new multi-modal programmes.
The Welsh Government has also announced further 'multi-modal corridor level programmes'
These include projects to improve air quality and 'support modal shift,' on the A55, A494 and other SRN routes, and sustainable transport studies on the M4. These schemes replace several of the road-building projects that won't go ahead and aim to move commuters and travellers onto public transport and active travel.
Projects that will be progressing
A487 Fishguard to Cardigan:
This was an 'early-stage scheme' not reviewed by the panel, and is set to continue
A4076 Haverfordwest:
Progressing.
A4042 Southern Corridor Pontypool to M4:
Progressing.
A494 Lon Fawr Rhuthun/Corwen Road:
Progressing, with 'small scale changes' to improve safety at the junction.
A494 Maesgammedd Road Junction:
Progressing, and considering 'alternative and small-scale options' to improve safety.
A48 Cross Hands to Pensarn:
Progressing.
A48 Nantycaws Junction Improvement:
Progressing, and considering 'alternative and small-scale options' to improve safety. This will exclude proposals for a grade-separated junction.
A44 Llangurig to Aberystwyth:
Progressing, with 'continued development of safety and resilience schemes'
A487 Dorglwyd Comins Coch
Progressing.
A40 Millbrook Farm, Brecon
Progressing.
A470 Caersws:
Progressing.
A487 Rhiwstaerdywyll:
Progressing.
A487 Llwyn Mafon:
Progressing.
A40 Carmarthen to St Clears Corridor:
Progressing.
A40 Carmarthen to Llandeilo Corridor:
Progressing.
Two new projects have also been announced in the NDTP
Wrexham A483 multi-modal corridor improvements and city centre connectivity:
The Welsh Government will work with Wrexham Council to deliver improvements aiming to lower levels of car use - this replaces the A483 Wrexham Bypass J3-6.
Revised schemes for the Menai Corridor:
The Welsh Government is 'developing options' for crossing the Menai Strait, and has asked the North Wales Transport Commission to make reccommendations on how it can best be achieved. This project replaces the Third Menai Crossing, which won't go ahead - more detail below.
A further 15 schemes have been identified as ‘local authority' schemes:
These aren't being funded at the moment but the panel's report suggests they'll be considered in future rounds of transport grant funding - subject to meeting the new tests for road building, and the Welsh Government's commitments under the Well-being of Future Generations Act.
The report suggests that the panel has "made recommendations on" some of these and has "not reviewed" others, but it's not yet clear what the distinction is between these. These schemes are:
- Cardiff Eastern Transport Corridor
- Cymmer Carriageway Improvements
- Newgale Coastal Adaptation and A487 diversion scheme
- Northern City Link Sustainable Transport Corridor, Swansea
- Cynon Gateway North
- Llanharan Bypass 2021 – 2026
- Severn Tunnel Junction Access
- NW Metro - Abergele Town Centre Congestion Improvement
- NW Metro - Llandudno Congestion Improvement Phase 4
- A469 Troedrhiwfuwch
- Aberbeeg Road, Blaenau Gwent
The Llanbedr Bypass and Access Road is slightly different to the other local authority projects. Lee Waters asked the panel's chair to review the project within four weeks of the panel being formed in 2021. The panel recommended that the plans shouldn't go forward, something that the Welsh Government accepted.
In addition to the above, three 'economic development schemes' - Celtic Business Park (Fishguard) Llanfrechfa (Cwmbran), and Warren Hall (Flintshire) - were conisidered by the panel due to Welsh Government involvement via land ownership or funding. The panel didn't make a decision on these, but have used them to inform its advice on future road investment and have asked Councillors Anthony Hunt and Llinos Medi to lead a group to explore this.
The deputy climate change minister explained the rationale of the decisions: "Our approach for the last 70 years is not working. As the review points out the by-pass that was demanded to relieve congestion often ends up leading to extra traffic, which in time brings further demands for extra lanes, wider junctions and more roads.
"Round and round we go, emitting more and more carbon as we do it and we will not get to Net Zero unless we stop doing the same thing over and over. When Julie James and I took up our new roles, we made clear that in this decade Wales has to make greater cuts in emissions than we have in the whole of the last three decades combined.
"Greater cuts in the next ten years than the whole of the last 30 - that’s what the science says we need to do if we are to future-proof Wales. The UN General Secretary has warned that unless we act decisively now we face a ‘climate catastrophe’.
"If we are to declare a Climate and Nature Emergency, legislate to protect the Well-being of Future Generations, and put into law a requirement to reach NetZero by 2050 - we simply have to be prepared to follow through."
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