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£1bn M4 relief road around Newport given green light £1bn M4 relief road around Newport given green light
(35 minutes later)
A £1bn new route motorway around Newport is to go ahead, Transport Minister Edwina Hart has announced. A £1bn new motorway route around Newport is to go ahead.
The preferred "black route," between Junctions 23 and 29, including a new crossing of the Usk south of Newport, would boost the economy, she said. The preferred "black route" between Junctions 23 and 29, including a new crossing of the Usk south of Newport, would boost the economy, said Transport Minister Edwina Hart.
Opponents say improving existing roads around Newport are cheaper options.Opponents say improving existing roads around Newport are cheaper options.
But Mrs Hart told AMs "none of the alternatives solutions proposed could reasonably deliver the objectives" of easing congestion. She told AMs "none of the alternatives solutions proposed could reasonably deliver the objectives" of easing congestion.
It would be the largest capital investment programme by the Welsh government since the start of devolution and could be finished by the spring of 2022.
Ms Hart told AMs: "Traffic congestion and unreliable journey times, particularly during rush hour, are common occurrences on the M4 around Newport.
"Addressing these capacity and resilience issues is a significant challenge that we face in ensuring that Wales has an effective economic infrastructure which improves our competitiveness and access to jobs and services."
Plans to ease congestion at the bottleneck gateway to south Wales were first unveiled in 2004.Plans to ease congestion at the bottleneck gateway to south Wales were first unveiled in 2004.
'Terribly damaging motorway'
But five years later the then Labour-Plaid coalition in Cardiff Bay shelved the idea when the estimated cost rose to £1bn.But five years later the then Labour-Plaid coalition in Cardiff Bay shelved the idea when the estimated cost rose to £1bn.
However, UK ministers have since agreed Welsh ministers could borrow the money needed to fund the scheme.However, UK ministers have since agreed Welsh ministers could borrow the money needed to fund the scheme.
Chancellor George Osborne has called the relief road one of the most important road schemes in the UK.Chancellor George Osborne has called the relief road one of the most important road schemes in the UK.
But environmental and some business groups have criticised the preferred route as unnecessarily damaging and costly.But environmental and some business groups have criticised the preferred route as unnecessarily damaging and costly.
Friend of the Earth Cymru said the decision will see a six-lane motorway "plough through part of one of Wales' most protected and environmentally sensitive landscapes" at the Gwent Levels.
Director Gareth Clubb said: "This vastly expensive, utterly unnecessary and terribly damaging motorway is the worst possible transport choice for south east Wales.
"And the £1bn price tag means that, at a time when traffic has actually decreased since 2007, it's going to come at the cost of the sustainable solutions that could benefit us all.
"This Welsh government seems stuck in a past age of concreting over our beautiful countryside and committing our economy to a fossil fuel future we won't be able to afford."