Petition calls for movement on M4 Relief Road
Business organisation the South Wales Chamber of Commerce has launched a petition calling on the Welsh Government to press ahead with the construction of the M4 Relief Road.
The petition is published on the website of the National Assembly for Wales.
An independent inquiry into the proposed Black Route option, preferred by the Welsh Government, is not expected to report its findings back to the Welsh Government until later this year.
However, what is not clear is whether the final decision on the project will be made on the watch of current First Minister Carwyn Jones or his successor. Mr Jones will stand down before the end of the year. The only confirmed candidate in the bid to succeed him is Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford.
The cost of the project stands at £1.4bn, although this includes VAT and a contingency for an overspend. There is currently a £1bn borrowing facility from the UK Government which the Welsh Government can use to help build a new stretch of motorway south of Newport.
Harri Lloyd-Davies, president of the South Wales Chamber of Commerce, said: “The need for a new motorway around Newport is overwhelming, with congestion around the Brynglas Tunnels negatively impacting businesses and people from across south Wales.
“The Welsh Government, to their credit, have brought forward plans for a new motorway to the south of Newport, but ministers have announced that they will give Assembly Members a vote on whether it should be built. There is a real risk that after years of campaigning we could end up with nothing – just more congestion and traffic jams. Therefore, we’re urging everyone, whether they are part of the Chamber of Commerce or not, to support this petition.
“The first proposal for a relief road was published in 1991. We believe that almost 30 years of inaction has hindered jobs growth and the economic wellbeing of south Wales today. The employment rate in Wales over the last 30 years has been significantly lower than the UK average, while Welsh GVA, one of the main economic measures, has consistently been less than 75% of UK GVA. More importantly, around 30% of Welsh children are living in poverty, a figure that doesn’t seem to be moving.
“The new motorway would bring positive change and is expected to reduce transport costs and travel time, while giving a boost to economic growth through opening up employment sites and making it easier for visitors to travel to Wales.
“I understand that there are many individuals with strongly held objections to the project, but if we are to improve the economic wellbeing of future generations, Welsh politicians need to break from the status quo and support the building of major infrastructure in Wales.”
Research by the Chamber of Commerce has shown that a wide range of businesses are affected by the congestion on the existing M4.
The haulage industry, for example, must expect a “worst-case scenario” every day, as delays occur so frequently. This limits the number of drops they can expect to make and they regularly incur financial penalties for late deliveries.
However, there is significant opposition to the proposed Black Route, which would pass through the Gwent Levels, including from environmental groups.