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M4 relief road
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M4 relief road
The M4 relief road, also known as M4 Corridor around Newport (M4CaN), was a proposed motorway, south of the city of Newport, South Wales, intended to relieve traffic congestion on the M4 motorway.
Originally proposed by the Welsh Office in 1991, it was not pursued by the Conservative Major Government. Following devolution in 1999 the project was again drawn up by Welsh Government economic and transport minister Andrew Davies in 2004 but this was withdrawn in 2009 when the cost estimates had risen by £660m, to a total of £1 billion.
In April 2013, the Conservative-led coalition offered the Welsh Government a £830m interest-payable loan for the construction of the road. In July 2014 Welsh Transport Minister Edwina Hart stated that, despite political opposition, the scheme would go ahead.
Demand for investment grew in 2017 following a manifesto pledge by Theresa May which removed the Severn road tolls. The increased road use led to vehicle use increasing of 20% over the M4 bridge and 7% of traffic at the tunnels, increasing the already considerable congestion in Newport.
First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones (a supporter of the road) stepped down in 2018, leaving the decision to his successor, Mark Drakeford. Drakeford was required to delay his decision due to the 2019 Newport West by-election purdah.
On 4 June 2019 Drakeford announced that the scheme would not proceed on the basis of escalating costs now at £1.4bn. 2018 estimates had however already shown that the £1.4bn figure would have been far higher once VAT costs and overspending was accounted for. Drakeford further attributed the decision to the global climate crisis and local "environmental impacts" to the Gwent Levels.
A second South Wales motorway was first discussed in the late 1980s, sited to the south of Newport running 14 miles (23 km) parallel to the existing M4 motorway from junction 23A at Magor, to junction 29 at Castleton, thus avoiding the need to widen the Brynglas Tunnels. The tunnels can no longer be expanded or relocated due to geological issues in the area, which has meant subsidence to a number of houses above the tunnels since construction took place.
The concept behind the motorway was first based on the M6 Toll motorway, a relief road built to reduce traffic on the M6 motorway around Birmingham.
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M4 relief road
The M4 relief road, also known as M4 Corridor around Newport (M4CaN), was a proposed motorway, south of the city of Newport, South Wales, intended to relieve traffic congestion on the M4 motorway.
Originally proposed by the Welsh Office in 1991, it was not pursued by the Conservative Major Government. Following devolution in 1999 the project was again drawn up by Welsh Government economic and transport minister Andrew Davies in 2004 but this was withdrawn in 2009 when the cost estimates had risen by £660m, to a total of £1 billion.
In April 2013, the Conservative-led coalition offered the Welsh Government a £830m interest-payable loan for the construction of the road. In July 2014 Welsh Transport Minister Edwina Hart stated that, despite political opposition, the scheme would go ahead.
Demand for investment grew in 2017 following a manifesto pledge by Theresa May which removed the Severn road tolls. The increased road use led to vehicle use increasing of 20% over the M4 bridge and 7% of traffic at the tunnels, increasing the already considerable congestion in Newport.
First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones (a supporter of the road) stepped down in 2018, leaving the decision to his successor, Mark Drakeford. Drakeford was required to delay his decision due to the 2019 Newport West by-election purdah.
On 4 June 2019 Drakeford announced that the scheme would not proceed on the basis of escalating costs now at £1.4bn. 2018 estimates had however already shown that the £1.4bn figure would have been far higher once VAT costs and overspending was accounted for. Drakeford further attributed the decision to the global climate crisis and local "environmental impacts" to the Gwent Levels.
A second South Wales motorway was first discussed in the late 1980s, sited to the south of Newport running 14 miles (23 km) parallel to the existing M4 motorway from junction 23A at Magor, to junction 29 at Castleton, thus avoiding the need to widen the Brynglas Tunnels. The tunnels can no longer be expanded or relocated due to geological issues in the area, which has meant subsidence to a number of houses above the tunnels since construction took place.
The concept behind the motorway was first based on the M6 Toll motorway, a relief road built to reduce traffic on the M6 motorway around Birmingham.
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