Latest news with #WelshConservatives
Wales Online
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Wales Online
'Create hard shoulders along large parts of A55 to relieve congestion'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A call for a 'hard shoulders' along large parts of the A55 has been made in a bid to cut congestion. The dual carriageway was developed in different sections over a number of decades by various UK governments, with the last part finally completed on Anglesey in 2001. While it transformed travel across the region, the road has been declared "not fit for purpose" by critics. Demands have been made for various investments - from a third Menai crossing to the removal of the roundabouts at Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan. There have also been calls for other changes along the route - from changing "dangerous" junctions to increasing resilience. Leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Clwyd West MS Darren Millar this week called on the Welsh Government to invest in the A55 trunk road. He told Transport Secretary Ken Skates that creating hard shoulders along large parts of its length and planning for contraflows to be enabled would alleviate congestion. He said: 'It's been raised by other colleagues in terms of the resilience of the A55 trunk road, and it is something that I have raised many times in the past too. 'You say that you can't plan for all eventualities, but what you can do is improve the road to the extent that there are hard shoulders available. 'You can also plan for contraflows to be enabled, to save diversions through some of our town centres and villages, which then become choked up with traffic. "What people want to see is investment in the A55 trunk road. It is the key artery for our economy, for people getting to and from the locations that they need to get to for work, for education, for hospitals, et cetera. 'Why can't you do a focused piece of work on resilience just on this one particular road, taking into account the need for contraflows, making sure that we've got a phased approach to improvements in terms of the delivery of hard shoulders, so that we can make sure that the A55 is fit for purpose and that it isn't frequently beset with regular traffic jams, which give a negative impression of Wales?" Responding, the Cabinet Secretary said: 'There are resilience issues that affect many of our trunk roads. We will be carrying out specific work in regard to the A55, but I believe that there is a broader piece of work required to look at all of our major routes.' Speaking after the meeting, Mr Millar said: "The A55 is the lifeblood of the North Wales economy, but sadly it has the unpopular accolade of being one of the worst congested roads in the UK. It is therefore vital that the Welsh Government make improving this trunk road a priority.' He told North Wales Live what the Tories would do if they came into power in Wales. He said: "We would get those roundabouts removed, extend the availability of hard shoulders, and ensure that central reservation changes are made to deliver the opportunity for contraflows to prevent unnecessarily choking up the road network in local towns and villages. "This could easily be part of a programme of rolling investment in the trunk road network that can be financed via investment models which offer value for money for the taxpayer." The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates told North Wales Live: "We're continuing to progress improvements to the A55 including consideration of how connections to and from Ynys Môn can be made more resilient. "This includes improvements to the A55 junctions and carriageway alignments, introduction of wind deflectors to Britannia Bridge and improvements for walking cycling. This study is now nearing completion and we'll be making announcements on the preferred options and next stages shortly." He added: 'We are also working on transport improvements on the A483 in Wrexham to support economic growth and development including the Western Gateway. A public consultation was held during February and March and this will help inform a decision on preferred options during the summer.' Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone
North Wales Live
10 hours ago
- Politics
- North Wales Live
'Create hard shoulders along large parts of A55 to relieve congestion'
A call for a 'hard shoulders' along large parts of the A55 has been made in a bid to cut congestion. The dual carriageway was developed in different sections over a number of decades by various UK governments, with the last part finally completed on Anglesey in 2001. While it transformed travel across the region, the road has been declared "not fit for purpose" by critics. Demands have been made for various investments - from a third Menai crossing to the removal of the roundabouts at Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan. There have also been calls for other changes along the route - from changing "dangerous" junctions to increasing resilience. Leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Clwyd West MS Darren Millar this week called on the Welsh Government to invest in the A55 trunk road. He told Transport Secretary Ken Skates that creating hard shoulders along large parts of its length and planning for contraflows to be enabled would alleviate congestion. He said: 'It's been raised by other colleagues in terms of the resilience of the A55 trunk road, and it is something that I have raised many times in the past too. 'You say that you can't plan for all eventualities, but what you can do is improve the road to the extent that there are hard shoulders available. 'You can also plan for contraflows to be enabled, to save diversions through some of our town centres and villages, which then become choked up with traffic. "What people want to see is investment in the A55 trunk road. It is the key artery for our economy, for people getting to and from the locations that they need to get to for work, for education, for hospitals, et cetera. 'Why can't you do a focused piece of work on resilience just on this one particular road, taking into account the need for contraflows, making sure that we've got a phased approach to improvements in terms of the delivery of hard shoulders, so that we can make sure that the A55 is fit for purpose and that it isn't frequently beset with regular traffic jams, which give a negative impression of Wales?" Responding, the Cabinet Secretary said: 'There are resilience issues that affect many of our trunk roads. We will be carrying out specific work in regard to the A55, but I believe that there is a broader piece of work required to look at all of our major routes.' Speaking after the meeting, Mr Millar said: "The A55 is the lifeblood of the North Wales economy, but sadly it has the unpopular accolade of being one of the worst congested roads in the UK. It is therefore vital that the Welsh Government make improving this trunk road a priority.' He told North Wales Live what the Tories would do if they came into power in Wales. He said: "We would get those roundabouts removed, extend the availability of hard shoulders, and ensure that central reservation changes are made to deliver the opportunity for contraflows to prevent unnecessarily choking up the road network in local towns and villages. "This could easily be part of a programme of rolling investment in the trunk road network that can be financed via investment models which offer value for money for the taxpayer." The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates told North Wales Live: "We're continuing to progress improvements to the A55 including consideration of how connections to and from Ynys Môn can be made more resilient. "This includes improvements to the A55 junctions and carriageway alignments, introduction of wind deflectors to Britannia Bridge and improvements for walking cycling. This study is now nearing completion and we'll be making announcements on the preferred options and next stages shortly." He added: 'We are also working on transport improvements on the A483 in Wrexham to support economic growth and development including the Western Gateway. A public consultation was held during February and March and this will help inform a decision on preferred options during the summer.'
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Politics
- Wales Online
New school summer holiday start date may impact Royal Welsh Show
New school summer holiday start date may impact Royal Welsh Show Critics say new summer break dates could reduce attendance at one Wales' biggest events A major change from the Welsh Government may impact the Royal Welsh Show (Image: John Myers ) New school term dates for the 2026-27 academic year has sparked controversy over fears that it may limit access to the Royal Welsh Show. It has been confirmed that the summer term is set to end on July 20, 2027 - two days into the event - potentially preventing hundreds of pupils and families from attending the occasion. Held each year in Llanelwedd, the Royal Welsh Show is one of Wales' premier cultural and agricultural events, drawing tens of thousands of visitors with its impressive displays of Welsh livestock, horticulture, and rural crafts. Traditionally scheduled during the first week of the summer holidays, the event is a fixture for rural communities and farming families across the country. The timing of the 2027 school break means that children in many parts of Wales will still be in class for the show's opening days, prompting fears that attendance could be affected — particularly for families outside Powys who face longer travel times. The announcement comes in the wake of Labour's decision to delay divisive plans to overhaul the school calendar in 2024. That proposal included shortening the traditional summer break and moving a week of the holiday to October to create a longer autumn half-term. The plans were met with widespread criticism, especially from the farming sector, due to their overlap with the Royal Welsh Show. Teachers' unions, along with representatives from the tourism and business sectors, also strongly opposed the reforms. Article continues below A packed Royal Welsh Showground at Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells (Image: John Myers ) In response to the backlash, Labour put the plans on hold but stopped short of abandoning them entirely. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here Now, the Welsh Conservatives are warning that the 2026-27 term dates could represent a step toward reintroducing those same reforms, reigniting debate over the future structure of the school year. Following the news, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Natasha Asghar MS, said: "These plans will undoubtedly reduce footfall at the Royal Welsh Show by restricting the number of families who can attend its first two days. "As the Royal Welsh was a major barrier to Labour and Plaid Cymru implementing their deeply unpopular school holiday reform, making this small change now feels like they are laying the groundwork to implement their original plans to rob our children of their summer holidays in the future. "The Welsh Government cannot ignore the opposition from every teachers' union, as well as the farming, tourism and business sectors. We need a rethink on these dates immediately, and the school holiday reform must be scrapped completely not just postponed." However, Labour has defended the decision, emphasising the consultation process that led to the finalised dates. In a statement issued today (June 25), the Education Minister Lynne Neagle acknowledged that "variations in school term dates and school holidays can cause difficulties for many families and businesses across Wales," and noted both "advantages and disadvantages to aligning school term dates." Under the Education Act 2002, she stated that the Welsh Government has powers to direct local authorities to standardise dates. The Minister said she found the proposed dates submitted by councils "were not the same or as similar as can be," prompting her to consider issuing a direction. Article continues below Following a 12-week consultation that closed in May 2025, the government reported that "most respondents supported the proposed school term dates for 2026 to 2027, as well as the draft direction." As a result, she confirmed that the Welsh Government will proceed with the proposed calendar and "issue the direction to local authorities to finalise the dates and make the necessary arrangements with their schools."
South Wales Argus
5 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Natasha Asghar MS on the shelved M4 relief road history
Not only did any hope of alleviating never-ending congestion go down the drain when the project was spiked, but so did £157m of taxpayer cash which had already been spent laying the groundwork. In the six long years since the axing of the relief road, things have gone from bad to worse on the M4 – especially since the dreaded 50mph speed cameras were installed. The fact remains we still need an M4 relief road. Bumper-to-bumper traffic and long delays is something I am sure many reading this will have endured at some point when travelling along the M4. In its current form, the M4 is not fit for purpose. These regular clogs are not just a nightmare for those caught up in them, but they are a major economic block and are undoubtedly making Wales a less attractive place to do business. Shockingly, the M4 in Newport was ranked within the top 50 traffic hotspots in Europe and was the 4th most congested stretch of urban motorway in the UK. Yet still, no action has been taken to crack the issue despite a planning inspector and Labour politicians including Vaughan Gething, Ken Skates and Jayne Bryant once upon a time backing relief road plans. Newport West MS Jayne Bryant hit the nail on the head when she said the decision to axe the relief 'condemns Newport to further decades of heavy congestion, idling traffic and toxic fumes.' Well it seems as though something has drastically changed in the minds of Labour politicians in the Senedd as when the Welsh Conservatives brought forward a debate calling for the relief to be built, they voted it down. Unsurprisingly, their nationalist Plaid Cymru chums, who never miss an opportunity to prop up this Labour administration, helped them sink our motion. Perhaps even more surprisingly, a commitment to build the relief road was included in Labour's manifesto, but then again we know they are partial to U-turns and flip-flopping. The Welsh Conservatives recognise the pressing need for the M4 relief road. A Welsh Conservative Government would get spades in the ground and deliver the relief road because doing nothing costs more in lost productivity, lost investment and lost opportunities. We need to get Newport and the whole of South Wales moving again. Natasha Asghar is the Senedd member for South Wales East.
Wales Online
19-06-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
'The Welsh people have had to suffer' over lack of action on M4
'The Welsh people have had to suffer' over lack of action on M4 The Brynglas tunnels were called a "national 26 years of mismanagement" (Image: South Wales Echo ) People in Wales have had to suffer because of the Welsh Government's decision to scrap the M4 relief road, Senedd members said. A debate in Cardiff Bay heard arguments from a series of Conservative Senedd members criticising the decision, made six years ago this month not to proceed with a £1.5bn plan to divert the M4 south of Newport on a new six-lane route to avoid the Brynglas tunnels bottleneck. One Tory MS said the Brynglas tunnels were a "national 26 years of mismanagement". The Welsh Conservatives picked the M4 relief road as the topic of their debate in the meeting of the full Senedd, calling for the Welsh Government to put the idea back on the table. You can read the history to the debate here. Both Plaid Cymru and Labour voted against the motion. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Former deputy minister for transport Lee Waters told the Senedd "new roads lead to more traffic". Article continues below He said before the tolls on the Severn Bridge were removed in 2018 traffic was forecast to rise by 17%. However, he said National Highways figures show it is now up 34% compared to when there were tolls. "That's what happens when you increase road capacity, when you encourage and incentivise driving—32,000 vehicles a day now crossing the Severn bridge. A University of London study last year showed that, as a result, more people are now commuting from Newport to Bristol because what happens when you increase road capacity is people simply move further away from their place of work. So they drive further. "As a result, house prices within a 5km range of the bridge are now up by 13%. Double the rise in Newport. So that's what happens. People travel more. "They travel further from their place of living to their work, and more journeys are created. So, as soon as you've built the road, the traffic congestion levels are up and, lo and behold, what's the next demand? Build another road to relieve the congestion. And round and round we go. And the evidence is clear, it doesn't work." However, the Welsh Conservatives criticised the scheme being stopped. Welsh Conservative MS Sam Rowlands told colleagues: "The Welsh Government spent £135.7 million of public money on plans for the M4 relief road before scrapping it. "FOI requests from the Welsh Conservatives on the scheme found that 29 homes were purchased for over £15 million through compulsory purchase orders. "Two of these properties were bought for £575,000 and £400,000 in April 2019, just two months before the First Minister decided to ditch the scheme. "At least £44 million was spent by the Welsh Government on development costs and a public inquiry, an inquiry that in fact backed the building of the relief road, saying the economic benefit of the project would outweigh the cost by two to one. "At every step of this journey, there's been indecision and money wasted. "At the end of it all, it's been the Welsh people who've had to suffer as a result." Fellow Conservative MS Gareth Davies said: "The Brynglas tunnels have become a national symbol—a bottleneck where people sit stationary for miles in traffic. It's a perfect illustration of 26 years of mismanagement". Transport minister Ken Skates refuted the Welsh Government had "stood still" in improving things at the M4. Article continues below "Lord Burns and the South East Wales Transport Commission put forward recommendations on both the short-and-long-term solutions to relieve congestion, and the short-term measures have been fully implemented on the M4," he said. He referenced plans for the so-called Burns stations - east Cardiff, west Newport, Somerton, Llanwern, and Magor and Undy - which saw a financial commitment from the UK Government in Rachel Reeves' spending review. You can see the five stations here.
