Planned new roads in Wales will be frozen while the Welsh government reviews schemes.
Projects that already have diggers in the ground, such as the Heads of the Valleys Road, will continue althought they are seriously behind schedule and costing millions more than expected
Ministers want to shift money from new roads to maintaining existing routes and investing in public transport.
The decision on the freeze will be announced in the Welsh Parliament later today and affects plans for the Deeside Red Route to ease jams on the A55 as well as another road crossing of the Menai Straits along with the eagerly awaited Llandeilo bypass which was part of a deal with Plaid Cymru over four years ago.
Last week, Welsh Government lifted restrictions around possible routes for a new M4 Relief Road around Newport which means development can go ahead on the line of the motorway, effectively ending plans to build it after a major public enquiry costing millios of pounds and FM Mark Drakeford supported an alternative traffic management scheme for the current M4 which was put forward instead.
Responding to the news of the spending freeze, Welsh Conservative Shadow Transport Minister, Natasha Asghar MS said, “At such a delicate economic time, this decision could prove a significant blow for our recovery.
“Many roads across Wales are not fit for purpose and have had a damaging impact on our economic fortunes, environment and public safety. Regular traffic jams deter investment and have contributed to Wales having some of the worst air quality in the UK.
“Ministers seem hell-bent on letting our roads deteriorate and forcing everyone onto public transport, despite major doubts over the ability of the network in Wales to cope after years of poor management and under-investment by Labour.
“Welsh workers and businesses urgently require more information about the scope of the review and the Welsh Labour Government’s long-term intentions for our transport infrastructure.”
