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| Chancellor George Osborne backs M4 motorway relief road | Chancellor George Osborne backs M4 motorway relief road |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The proposed M4 relief road in south Wales is one of the most important road schemes in the UK, Chancellor George Osborne says. | The proposed M4 relief road in south Wales is one of the most important road schemes in the UK, Chancellor George Osborne says. |
| But he said the idea that motorists should pay a toll to drive on the motorway near Newport did not come from the UK government. | But he said the idea that motorists should pay a toll to drive on the motorway near Newport did not come from the UK government. |
| The Welsh government has strongly dismissed the idea of imposing a toll. | The Welsh government has strongly dismissed the idea of imposing a toll. |
| Mr Osborne said there was a "strong case" for the project and that he was working with the Welsh government. | Mr Osborne said there was a "strong case" for the project and that he was working with the Welsh government. |
| Plans to ease congestion on the motorway in south east Wales by building a relief road were unveiled in 2004. | |
| But ministers in the devolved administration shelved the idea in 2009 when the estimated cost rose to £1bn. | But ministers in the devolved administration shelved the idea in 2009 when the estimated cost rose to £1bn. |
| Talks have been under way between the UK and Welsh governments about ways to fund improvements to the M4. | |
| It is understood an agreement in principle has been reached but a deal on funding has not been finalised. | It is understood an agreement in principle has been reached but a deal on funding has not been finalised. |
| Mr Osborne, speaking during a visit to Cardiff, said the first time he heard the suggestion that the new section of motorway could be a toll road was when it was "mis-reported" by newspapers on Tuesday. | Mr Osborne, speaking during a visit to Cardiff, said the first time he heard the suggestion that the new section of motorway could be a toll road was when it was "mis-reported" by newspapers on Tuesday. |
| 'Huge benefit' | 'Huge benefit' |
| "I hope the road is going to get built and I think there's a very strong case," he said. | "I hope the road is going to get built and I think there's a very strong case," he said. |
| "I think it's one of the most important road schemes in the whole of the United Kingdom. I think it would be of huge benefit to south Wales. | "I think it's one of the most important road schemes in the whole of the United Kingdom. I think it would be of huge benefit to south Wales. |
| "We're working with the Welsh assembly government. I don't know where this idea of a toll road has come from. | "We're working with the Welsh assembly government. I don't know where this idea of a toll road has come from. |
| "It's been mis-reported in the papers. It's certainly never anything I've considered, so I was reading about it in the press and couldn't work out where it had come from. | "It's been mis-reported in the papers. It's certainly never anything I've considered, so I was reading about it in the press and couldn't work out where it had come from. |
| "But I'm clear we can work with the Welsh assembly government to get the funding for this road and improve it. | "But I'm clear we can work with the Welsh assembly government to get the funding for this road and improve it. |
| "And of course it's up to the Welsh assembly government whether they want to do any tolls, but it's certainly not something I'm asking for." | "And of course it's up to the Welsh assembly government whether they want to do any tolls, but it's certainly not something I'm asking for." |
| The Welsh government said a toll would be "unfair" and "unworkable". | The Welsh government said a toll would be "unfair" and "unworkable". |