As the red route, as announced today, will have a significant impact on my own constituency of Delyn, it’s probably my democratic duty here today to raise the number of concerns that constituents have raised with me and a number of wider points.

I want to start with perhaps what could be perceived as a somewhat pedantic and slightly parochial point in respect of the title of today’s statement, and that is ‘Transport Proposals for Deeside’. Because, if you look at the initial proposal map, with the red and blue routes, actually, a significant portion of that covers the communities of Oakenholt, Flint, Flint mountain and Northop, which fall outside the Deeside area. I’m more than happy to offer Cardiff-based Welsh Government officials a crash course on the respective communities of north-east Wales and Flintshire, but, on a more serious point—and I did raise this as part of the consultation process—I think, for this to be as accessible as possible for people, they need to understand that it is affecting their area as well, and that it is a consultation and a proposal for them to be involved with. I hope that this will be taken into consideration at the next stage of the process.

Whilst, as we’ve already heard, there’s been much local debate and disagreement over the two proposals put on the table, and I know that that disagreement and debate is set to continue, I think we’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in north-east Wales who doesn’t think that investment of some sort in our transport infrastructure is needed, and particularly in the key gateway into north Wales. However, Cabinet Secretary, you’ll be aware from my correspondence on this matter that a number of my constituents and communities in the area have raised a variety of concerns, which I want to briefly outline here today.

Of course, there are the wider environmental implications and concerns associated with any proposal, any new road of this size. And I know that the so-called red route will impact on a number of farms within my constituency, and we will see the loss of woodlands and public rights of way. Can I ask what work has been and will be done in respect of this, and what part will meeting our well-being of future generation goals play in terms of assessing the environmental implications of the red route as proposed today?

At £250 million this transport plan is a significant investment and it should also bring with it significant social benefits to the communities in the area, and I’d like to see any social benefit reinvested in the community and used to enhance facilities. You’ve talked about the active travel plans for Deeside industrial park, which I welcome, but can that actually go out further across Flintshire, to enable people to be able to cycle to work where possible, for people’s health and well-being? Cabinet Secretary, do you have a view at this stage on how social benefits could be used and put back into the community? Could social benefits coming from the road fund contribute, for example, to things like the capital programme to overhaul Theatr Clwyd?

Another point: understandably, my constituents are concerned about the impact the proposal could have on the surrounding towns that I’ve already mentioned, particularly the traffic through the likes of Flint and Northop, both of which can already be congested at peak times. Also, we’ve already heard how the new interchange and the converging lanes in Northop—. There are worries that that could have the impact of transferring problems just literally further along the road. What mitigating work has been done and will be done around Northop and Flint mountain? Has consideration been given to how the A55 resilience study that was going to—? Will that also form a part of this, because I know you’ve already responded to my colleague Mark Isherwood in terms of the possibility of a crawler lane? I think that should be given consideration as part of this, that this isn’t the be-all and end-all, there needs to be—. I think there are other problems along that route that need to be addressed.

The Flintshire bridge is a key part of the proposals. Do the proposals for improving this bridge ensure it’s fit for purpose? I know it can often be closed as a result of high winds and it’s still known as the new bridge in the area, despite being nearly 20 years old, and some locals have nicknamed it ‘the bridge to nowhere’ because if you go along it, you’re hard-pressed, perhaps, to see one or two other cars going along it. I think it will been referred to, how you’ve got this—. It’s been there for a number of years now, but people still choose to go up the Aston Hill to come into north Wales. So, what guarantee could you give, if this route goes ahead, that people wouldn’t still travel along Aston Hill and that that wouldn’t remain congested, as it is?

You referred to the village of Oakenholt in your statement. I know residents in Oakenholt have particular concerns with how the new road will affect the area. We’ve already seen substantial new housing developments in Oakenholt over the next few years. So, Cabinet Secretary, can you really be confident that the route as outlined will enhance Oakenholt and the surrounding area, and not do damage to the community?

Just briefly, to finish, moving from road to rail, because I recognise your statement did cover plans to progress the north-east metro, which I welcome. We talk a lot about connecting Deeside industrial park, which is really important, as the cornerstone of the regional economy, but we really do need to make sure that other communities towards the west of Flintshire are not left out and are not let behind, and that they are connected as part of the north-east Wales metro proposals. You’ll be well aware that there’s currently only one train station in my constituency, in Flint. Access to public transport for a huge swathe of the population of Delyn means buses and, to be honest, at the moment they are either not that reliable or do not connect up. This metro for north-east Wales does have the potential to be a massive economic enabler, not just for the region, but for individuals to better access work opportunities, to get to Deeside industrial park. I know in my own events, my Future Flintshire event that I held earlier in the year, there was particular concern about how young people were able to access work at Deeside industrial park if they can’t afford a car, or if they have got a car, often the cost of insurance for younger people makes that prohibitive.

I welcome the news to look at Shotton High Level, Shotton Low Level and the Deeside industrial park station, but could we, as part of the north-east Wales metro proposals, look at how we could actually develop stations further down the line to the west of Flint? I actually recently met with Holywell Town Council members, representatives from Network Rail and my MP colleague, David Hanson, to look at a potential site for a new station in the Greenfield Holywell area. Much of the structure actually is there—obviously it needs a little bit of work and enhancement—but it’s there from the old station. That station actually formed a key strategic point, not too far from the point of the Port of Mostyn, which links the advanced manufacturing sector of the north-east with the energy sector of the north-west, and this is where the A380 wings for the A380 Airbus go out or are shipped out to Toulouse. So, I would really urge serious consideration—and I’m happy to meet with you and officials to see how we can take this further—of a new station at what is being called Greenfield halt, or, actually, if we did do it, why not call it St Winefride’s halt to maximise on the heritage and tourist assets just on the doorstep of where that would be placed?

Just to wrap up, we are seeing large-scale investment in the pipeline in our infrastructure in north-east Wales. There are big proposals on the table, proposals such as the metro, that would bring huge potential for our area. But, in closing, I really, really need to call on the Cabinet Secretary to listen and act on the ideas and the concerns of the people, communities and organisations of Flintshire. I’ll be working hard to make sure my constituents have a voice, going forward in this process. I strongly urge the Welsh Government to make sure that the process is as accessible as possible to all communities in Flintshire, not just Deeside, and actively involve people from the communities across the county.