§ Mr. John MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales when work was last commenced on a new section of the M4 motorway; what has been the increase in traffic on the Baglan-Lonlas area since that time; and if he will reconsider his start dates for this new section of the M4, in particular the new bridge and the connecting road to Baglan.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsWork on the most recent section of the M4, the Bridgend northern bypass, started in 1978 and was completed in 1981. Traffic volumes on the A48 between Baglan and Lonlas have increased by some 50 per cent. since 1978 but are still within the design capacity of the road.
The programme set out in "Roads in Wales 1989" for completing the Baglan-Lonlas section by mid 1994 is the most practical one. The Earlswood to Lonlas scheme is planned to start in the current financial year.