VOTE ON M4 RELIEF ROAD DELAYED AGAIN
CARWYN Jones will not make a decision on the M4 relief road and it will fall to whoever succeeds him as First Minister, it was confirmed yesterday.
Standing in for Mr Jones in First Minister’s questions, leader of the house Julie James AM confirmed that the decision would not now be taken by the current administration.
“Speed is not of the essence,” she told AMs – on a day when the road was again brought to a crawl by two crashes.
As recently as last month, Bridgend AM Mr Jones said he still intended to make the key decision about whether or not to build the 15-mile new M4 to the south of Newport.
However, that timetable would have seen AMs given a vote on the decision this week and that has not happened.
The report by a public inspector on the Welsh Government’s preferred “black route” for the motorway has also still not been made public.
Mr Jones was unable to take First Minister’s Questions at the Senedd yesterday due to being unwell.
In his place, Ms James told AMs that the decision about an M4 relief road would not be made by the current administration.
During questioning from Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price, Mrs James said the decision could only be made once Government officials responded to the inspector’s report and that legal advice is still being collated.
She told AMs that “speed was not of the essence but accuracy is” to come to a long-awaited decision.
She told the Siambr in October that a binding vote would be held in early December before Mr Jones stands down.
After a lengthy leadership campaign, Mr Jones’ successor will be announced tomorrow and he will formally stand down on Tuesday of next week.
During questioning, Mrs James said that all three candidates – Mark Drakeford, Vaughan Gething and Eluned Morgan – had agreed to hold a vote on the matter.
Mrs James said: “I have outlined to this house the constitutional position on this matter. I’m more than happy to do it again. It is absolutely paramount that the legal advice received at the same time as the local inquiry is what any First Minister making that decision takes into account. That advice is not ready.
“It is important that the advice is prepared correctly. Speed is not of the essence, accuracy is.
“When that advice has been prepared, the First Minister will be able to take that preliminary decision on the traffic orders and the acquisition of land orders, and then, after that, we will be able to look at the affordability issues and it will be at that point that a vote can take place.
“This is not now going to happen under this particular administration, but I said, only last week, that I would be recommending to any successor of mine that that commitment should be honoured, and I’ve been assured by all three candidates that it will be.”
On the same day, campaigners gathered outside the Senedd, chanting “no to M4”. AMs Lee Waters and Adam Price both spoke against the plans.