Technical advisors have been appointed to develop options for the £200m Welsh Government road improvements in North East Wales that will boost the economy by improving access to Deeside Enterprise Zone and north Wales.
AECOM and Ruthin-based Richards, Moorhead & Laing will carry out the next stage of the A55/A494/A548 Deeside corridor improvement project to improve the road network in the area between Wrexham, Chester and Deeside.
Two routes, recommended in the previous Stage 1 study, will be assessed. One is a package of highway and transport improvements focusing on the existing A55/A494 alignment from the River Dee Bridge to Northop and the second highway and transport improvements utilising the existing A458 Flintshire Bridge.
Public exhibitions will take place in September 2015. The selection of the preferred route is expected before the end of 2016.
Transport Minister, Edwina Hart said, “The Deeside corridor is an important economic route and the gateway to North Wales.
“This area has been identified in our National Transport Plan and this next stage will see the development of detailed plans to improve traffic flows at important locations along the trunk roads. The Welsh Government is committed to improving transport across Wales to create jobs and growth.”
South Wales Metro Link will cost £6 Billion
About £600m is to be spent on a new metro for south east Wales within five years, according to BBC Wales.
It is likely to be a mix of light rail, trams, improved trains and faster buses by 2020 in Cardiff and the valleys and is in addition to planned rail electrification and will run as a “not-for-dividend” part of the next all-Wales rail franchise from 2018.