4. What action is the Welsh Government undertaking to improve the transport infrastructure in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ56740

We are improving the A40 between Llanddewi Velfrey and Redstone Cross. The contractor has commenced on site, carrying out preparatory ecological and ground investigation survey works. For this financial year, we have also provided over £5.5 million to Carmarthenshire and £3.7 million to Pembrokeshire councils via our local transport fund. 

Diolch, Trefnydd. I was pleased to hear you mention the A40 bypass at Llanddewi Velfrey, and I was pleased to have reassurance from the Deputy Minister for Climate Change that, despite the Government's announcement last month of the pause on road building, this project will go ahead. However, while the Deputy Minister has assured me of diggers on the ground, I and locals in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire near the project are unable to see where these diggers are operating. Would it be possible for you to let us know where the operation is currently being undertaken so that I can reassure those constituents of mine that this project will be completed at its earliest opportunity?

Certainly, my briefing tells me that there are excavators on the ground—Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd entered into the contract in the middle of last month—but I will certainly ask the Minister to write to you with the specific location.

In the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency, the A40 between Carmarthen and St Clears is one of the most dangerous roads in Wales. Between January 2010 and August 2019, there were 359 accidents on that road, with about a quarter of them leading to injuries, including the death of a four-year-old girl. The same stretch of road has seen two incidents over the last year, with the deaths of a 20-year-old man in September 2020 and a policewoman, who was 37 years old, in February of this year.

Now, it's evident that something needs to be done urgently to improve this situation and to try to prevent similar incidents from happening again in future. I do understand that the Welsh transport appraisal guidance study at phase 1 has been completed, and this is to be welcomed, of course, but there has been a postponement of the study. Following the recent experiences, people are very eager to see improvements as a matter of urgency. So, Minister, how much assurance can you give to people in the area that there will be no further delays in tackling these problems? When can we expect to see work starting to improve that situation?

The Member certainly raises some very sad statistics in his contribution. I'm not quite sure whether the road you refer to is part of that A40 scheme, but, clearly, that is under way. You'll be aware of the review that the Deputy Minister for Climate Change is undertaking in relation to roads. I'm aware that the chair of the panel is due to be announced before summer recess—before the end of next week—and he's expecting a report. I think the interim report will be around three months and then the full report nine months later. So, if it's part of that review, that's the timeline for that.