Global InformationM4 relief road information
 The Brynglas Tunnels, near Newport, are affected by high peak time congestion | |
| Location | Newport, Wales |
|---|---|
| Proposer | Welsh Government |
| Project website | Official website |
| Status | Rejected |
| Type | Motorway extension |
| Cost estimate (low) | £1.4 billion |
| Stakeholders | DfT ORR Traffic Wales Minister for Transport |
| Supporters | CBI[1] IoD[2] Carwyn Jones AM (Bridgend)[3] Jayne Bryant AM (Newport West)[4] Brexit Party[5] UKIP[6] Welsh Conservatives[7] |
| Opponents | Future Generations Commissioner for Wales[8] Woodland Trust[9] RSPB[10] Plaid Cymru[11] John Griffiths AM (Newport East)[12] Wales Green Party[13] Lib Dems[14] |
The M4 relief road, also known as M4 Corridor around Newport (M4CaN),[15] 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,[16] 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project was again drawn up by Welsh Government economic and transport minister Andrew Davies in 2004[17] but this was withdrawn in 2009 when the cost estimates had risen by £660m, to a total of £1 billion.[17]
In April 2013, the Conservative-led coalition offered the Welsh Government a £830m interest-payable loan for the construction of the road.[18] In July 2014 Welsh Transport Minister Edwina Hart stated that, despite political opposition, the scheme would go ahead.[19]
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.[20]
First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones (a supporter of the road) stepped down in 2018,[21] leaving the decision to his successor, Mark Drakeford. Drakeford was required to delay his decision due to the 2019 Newport West by-election purdah.[22]
On 4 June 2019 Drakeford announced that the scheme would not proceed on the basis of escalating costs now at £1.4bn.[23] 2018 estimates had however already shown that the £1.4bn figure would have been far higher once VAT costs and overspending was accounted for.[18] Drakeford further attributed the decision to the global climate crisis and local "environmental impacts" to the Gwent Levels.[23]
- ^ "CBI Wales responds to M4 decision". CBI. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Wales needs green light for the M4 black route | Institute of Directors | IoD". www.iod.com. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "How Mark Drakeford is ditching Carwyn Jones' positions and priorities". Nation.Cymru. 6 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ M4 Relief Road Decision, retrieved 13 June 2019
- ^ Wales, Brexit Party (4 June 2019). "Senedd leader @MarkReckless". @PlaidBrexit. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "UKIP u-turn brings M4 black route closer - The Transport Network". www.transport-network.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Welsh Conservatives reaffirm commitment to M4 Relief Road". conservatives.wales. 25 March 2021. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ^ Howe, Sophie (September 2018). "Transport Fit for Future Generations" (PDF). Future Generations Commissioner website. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Campaigns update: Wales celebrates as M4 development is refused". www.woodlandtrust.org.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Upgrading the M4 – a threat to the Gwent Levels - Nature's Heroes - Blog". community.rspb.org.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Plaid call to invest £1.4bn scrapped M4 funding in Welsh transport network". The Party of Wales. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Former minister John Griffiths opposes any new M4 route". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Green Party deputy leader welcomes scrapping of M4 link road | The Green Party". www.greenparty.org.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Welsh Liberal Democrats welcome M4 relief road rejection". Welsh Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "M4 Corridor around Newport (M4CaN)" (PDF). gov.wales. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ^ "Geotechnical Considerations and Techniques for Widening Highway Earthworks" (PDF). Persona Associates. 1 February 1991. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ a b Mosalski, Ruth (4 June 2019). "How it came to this: The 30-year saga of the M4". walesonline. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ a b "M4 relief road cost will increase further". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ "Hart defends M4 relief road plans". BBC News. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ "Crown Highways | New Traffic Counting Loops installed at toll-free Severn Bridge". Highways Industry. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ Khomami, Nadia (21 April 2018). "Carwyn Jones to step down as first minister of Wales". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ "No decision on M4 relief road before poll". BBC News. 12 March 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ a b Morris, Steven (4 June 2019). "Wales scraps £1.4bn Gwent Levels M4 relief road scheme". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 December 2019.