Wales' transport minister has promised to include people in Newport in decisions about potentially closing junctions on the M4. Mark Hooper said on Tuesday an 18-month process will start to design a solution to congestion on the M4.
Alongside that is a five-year plan of shorter-term measures. This is, broadly, a combination of potential junction closures on the motorway, and public transport improvements.
Backlash and political criticism
The announcement has already triggered a backlash, with more than 6,500 people signing an online petition and criticism from political opponents.
When the news was announced to Senedd members, Casnewydd Islwyn MS Jayne Bryant told the transport minister: "Local people, including in surrounding areas like Risca, Blackwood and Cwmbran, need to have their voices heard, and people haven't been involved at this point. These people aren't just data points in a transport policy document; they are individuals, families and businesses whose lives will be impacted."
Newport council leader Dimitri Batrouni said he will oppose any closures.
Minister's response
Mr Hooper said his message to them, and the people of Newport more widely, was that he will listen. "I think the premise that Newport and the M4 are working in any way coherently at the moment, I think is something that we've all got to be honest about, and to me it doesn't work.
"I've tried to characterise the work that we're doing – it's not just an M4 issue, it's actually an M4 and Newport issue. I think that when you're coming off those junctions at the moment you're not going onto a road that works."
Asked if the closures would be at certain times of day, or total closures, he said: "It could be a number of things. I think personally, I think we need to make sure we do this properly so we're careful that we don't have something that we're then going to change our mind over three years later, five years later, whatever the situation is."
Black route ruled out
He said all options will be on the table to create a longlist but he said the so-called black route will not be because parts of that proposed road have already been built on.
"That route no longer exists – that is no longer an option in the way that it was said before. So when it's: 'Why don't you just go and do that?' that's not an option."
He said, though, that an entirely new road on a new route cannot be ruled out. "I'm not going to rule in and I'm not going to rule out anything," he said.
Responding to readers' comments that the 50mph speed limits should be increased to improve flow he said that will not happen. "The 50mph speed actually makes the traffic run better. It's been proven consistently that it does. It reduces the amount of collisions and it actually helps traffic flow rather than restricts traffic flow, which is one of the things that we need to do."
Funding and rail plans
He told WalesOnline he believes this time, after years of discussions, a scheme to improve congestion will be delivered. Asked how he can be sure the scheme will succeed, given there is currently no funding, he said: "The M4 is a multifaceted thing of activity. You've got elements that are within our current budget profile, so things like the strategic road network, we're putting the budgets in to maintain that."
He said there have been "good conversations" with the UK Government on funding the development of railway stations in and around Newport. "But when it comes to Burns, which is the big ticket item on the five-year plan, it's £800m from the UK government that is part of that £14b commitment that they've made before," he said, referencing a rail promise from the Starmer administration.
"We've had good conversations with UK Government. We now need them to be profiled within the spending review period that the chancellor is going to be talking to in the budget. We're asking John Healey to put a billion pounds in for rail capital in the budget announcement that coming to the UK parliament in October," he said. That money would be spent until 2030, he said.
He said the vision document from Transport for Wales spelling out its plans to build seven new stations in Wales was the right approach. "I've accepted that as being the strategy for Wales rail for two reasons. One, because I think it's important that we maintain a strategic focus over time, so you can't go flitting, you've got to be consistent. But the second reason is I think it's really good. I think this is a really good piece of work."
