§ Mr. Gwilym JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to announce the outcome of the South Wales area and the north east Clwyd traffic studies.
§ Mr. David HuntI have today announced the addition of eight major schemes to the motorway and trunk road programme for Wales as a result of the conclusions of these studies. The schemes are as follows:
82W
Scheme Estimated cost at current prices £ million Planned timing M4 Relief Motorway around Newport 215 2000 M4 Castleton-Coryton to three-lane dual carriageway 35 2000 A465 Abergavenny to Hirwaun dualling 95 Late 1990s A550 Deeside Park to Drome Corner widening 16 Mid 1990s
Scheme Estimated cost at current prices £ million Planned timing A494 Drome Corner to Ewloe Improvement to three-lane dual carriageway 36 1 A494/A55 Ewloe interchange major remodelling 34 1 A494 Ewloe-Mold improvement 12 1 A55 Ewloe-Northop widening to three-lane dual carriageway 12 1 1 Phased from 1996–97 onwards. The preferred route for the A550 Deeside park to Drome corner scheme will be announced shortly. For the other schemes consultants will be appointed to carry out feasibility studies and to consider location and design.
In addition the south Wales area traffic study has shown that relief is needed for the A470 between Pontypridd and M4 at Coryton. The alternatives of widening the A470 or building a relief road are not easy and I have decided to appoint consultants to carry out a transportation study to determine whether improving public transport could achieve traffic relief at a lower cost than road improvement.
The south Wales study also indicates that there will be capacity problems on the M4 at Port Talbot early in the next century. My officials will be consulting West Glamorgan county council to determine whether its plans for a local distributor road can offer a solution.
A copy of the summary of the south Wales area traffic study has been placed in the Library of the House. The north-east Clwyd traffic study report is not yet in final form. A summary will be placed in the Library of the House as it is available.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he intends to take to relieve traffic congestion in Newtown, Powys.
§ Mr. David HuntI have today announced the addition of a bypass scheme to the long term trunk road improvement programme. Consultants will be appointed shortly to study the options and develop the scheme.