Major road schemes scrapped as government considers climate change
Major road schemes in the region have been scrapped after a government responded to climate change concerns.
The Welsh Government has confirmed works on the A5/A483 Halton Roundabout at Chirk and the Mid Wales Safety Schemes at the A470 Llangurig, A470 Llanidloes, A470 Pont y Bat (Felinfach), A487 Llanrhystyd, A487 Machynlleth, A487 north of Aberarth, will not be going ahead.
It comes in response to the Roads Review set up in June 2021 by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters.
Speaking in the Senedd, he said: "Let me be very clear at the outset, we will still invest in roads.
"In fact, we are building new roads as I speak - but we are raising the bar for where new roads are the right response to transport problems.
"We are also investing in real alternatives, including investment in rail, bus, walking and cycling projects.
"Even if we'd wanted to keep progressing all the road schemes in the pipeline we just do not have the money to do so.
"Our capital budget will be 8 per cent lower next year in real terms as a result of the UK Government's failure to invest in infrastructure.
"With fewer resources it becomes even more important to prioritise and the Roads Review helps us to do that."
He added: "Our approach for the last 70 years is not working.
"As the review points out, the bypass that was demanded to relieve congestion often ends up leading to extra traffic, which in time brings further demands for extra lanes, wider junctions and more roads.
"Round and round we go, emitting more and more carbon as we do it and we will not get to Net Zero unless we stop doing the same thing over and over."
To reach net zero by 2050 the minister said the government must be "prepared to follow through".
Of the 55 projects, nine have been scrapped, 15 will be progressing and two will be replaced by new projects. Three have been classed as economic development schemes - though the panel did not decide on their future - and 15 have been classified as "local authority schemes", meaning councils can apply for grant funding in the future.
