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| Do not wreck M4 relief road plans, says Labour MP Flynn | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Party political games must not wreck plans for a new M4 relief road south of Newport, a Labour MP has warned. | Party political games must not wreck plans for a new M4 relief road south of Newport, a Labour MP has warned. |
| Talks have resumed on Monday between Labour and Plaid Cymru to break the deadlock on the first minister post. | |
| Plaid has ruled out any deal with Labour if the party went ahead with its M4 plan, known as the black route. | Plaid has ruled out any deal with Labour if the party went ahead with its M4 plan, known as the black route. |
| But Newport West MP Paul Flynn said the blue route alternative, favoured by Plaid, would make the city "a traffic hell". | But Newport West MP Paul Flynn said the blue route alternative, favoured by Plaid, would make the city "a traffic hell". |
| Welsh Labour's preferred option for the M4 relief road is a brand-new six lane motorway over the Gwent Levels that could cost £1.1bn and has attracted criticism from environmentalists. | Welsh Labour's preferred option for the M4 relief road is a brand-new six lane motorway over the Gwent Levels that could cost £1.1bn and has attracted criticism from environmentalists. |
| Plaid Cymru, UKIP and others prefer an upgrade of existing roads around Newport, including the A48 Southern Distributor Road (SDR) which runs along the city's outskirts to the south. | Plaid Cymru, UKIP and others prefer an upgrade of existing roads around Newport, including the A48 Southern Distributor Road (SDR) which runs along the city's outskirts to the south. |
| Writing on his blog, Mr Flynn said: "It was a Plaid Cymru minister who sabotaged the funding the last time the relief road was planned," referring to a decision by former deputy first minister Ieuan Wyn Jones in 2009. | Writing on his blog, Mr Flynn said: "It was a Plaid Cymru minister who sabotaged the funding the last time the relief road was planned," referring to a decision by former deputy first minister Ieuan Wyn Jones in 2009. |
| Mr Flynn, who did not explicitly refer to the Senedd talks, continued: "Party political games must not wreck a solution that will bring traffic relief to two thirds of the Welsh economy and tourist trade and ease killer pollution." | Mr Flynn, who did not explicitly refer to the Senedd talks, continued: "Party political games must not wreck a solution that will bring traffic relief to two thirds of the Welsh economy and tourist trade and ease killer pollution." |
| The MP claimed the UK government would react to the rejection of the black route by cancelling the Welsh Government's permission to borrow money for the M4 project. | The MP claimed the UK government would react to the rejection of the black route by cancelling the Welsh Government's permission to borrow money for the M4 project. |
| "The funding will largely disappear," he said. | "The funding will largely disappear," he said. |
| Mr Flynn said the blue route scheme would bring back congestion that the city suffered before the opening of the Southern Distributor Road in 2004, and that its role to re-distribute traffic "east to west, north to south" would be destroyed. | Mr Flynn said the blue route scheme would bring back congestion that the city suffered before the opening of the Southern Distributor Road in 2004, and that its role to re-distribute traffic "east to west, north to south" would be destroyed. |
| He said this would make Newport "a traffic hell of gridlock and pollution". | He said this would make Newport "a traffic hell of gridlock and pollution". |
| Mr Flynn argued that the blue route is "favoured by people from elsewhere in Wales who long to pick up the scraps if the black [route] solution, is dumped." | Mr Flynn argued that the blue route is "favoured by people from elsewhere in Wales who long to pick up the scraps if the black [route] solution, is dumped." |
| What is the Blue Route? | What is the Blue Route? |
| Proposals for the so-called blue route emerged in 2013 when a paper from the Institute for Welsh Affairs suggested congestion on the M4 around Newport could be eased for almost a third of the cost. | Proposals for the so-called blue route emerged in 2013 when a paper from the Institute for Welsh Affairs suggested congestion on the M4 around Newport could be eased for almost a third of the cost. |
| The price for the scheme, which would involve upgrading the SDR and the former steelworks road, was put at £380m. | The price for the scheme, which would involve upgrading the SDR and the former steelworks road, was put at £380m. |
| Prof Stuart Cole, who wrote the report for the IWA, said the then Welsh Government was over-estimating likely traffic demands. | Prof Stuart Cole, who wrote the report for the IWA, said the then Welsh Government was over-estimating likely traffic demands. |
| Under the proposal the roads would be upgraded to a two-lane dual carriageway at motorway or expressway standard, widening to a three-lane motorway in future if needed. | Under the proposal the roads would be upgraded to a two-lane dual carriageway at motorway or expressway standard, widening to a three-lane motorway in future if needed. |
| It would run from junction 28 at Tredegar Park to junction 23A at Magor. | It would run from junction 28 at Tredegar Park to junction 23A at Magor. |
| Talks continue | Talks continue |
| Mr Flynn's comments came ahead of talks resuming between Labour and Plaid Cymru over the delay in electing a first minister following the 5 May election which left Labour short of a majority. | Mr Flynn's comments came ahead of talks resuming between Labour and Plaid Cymru over the delay in electing a first minister following the 5 May election which left Labour short of a majority. |
| Formal discussions began last Friday - the first between the parties since Carwyn Jones and Leanne Wood were tied 29-29 in a Senedd vote last Wednesday. | Formal discussions began last Friday - the first between the parties since Carwyn Jones and Leanne Wood were tied 29-29 in a Senedd vote last Wednesday. |
| The parties had said they were "confident" they could break the deadlock. | The parties had said they were "confident" they could break the deadlock. |
| It is currently unclear when the assembly will reconvene to nominate the first minister. | It is currently unclear when the assembly will reconvene to nominate the first minister. |