Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Climate Change – in the Senedd at 2:08 pm on 11 January 2023.
Well, thank you. I note that we have supported, through Business Wales, some 288 businesses on the island, and I acknowledge the impact that the closure has had at a time that is already difficult for businesses and this has been another pressure on many of them. In terms of the future of the crossing, as he knows, we have a programme of works planned, which we are still confident, weather permitting, will be completed by the end of January. And then, as we've explained, a more permanent solution will be scheduled in consultation with the local council at a time that is best not to interrupt tourism trade through the course of next year.
I noticed, over Christmas, that the Member had managed to persuade some in the media that we had changed our position on the future of the third crossing, owing to its inclusion within the Wales infrastructure investment plan, along with a number of other legacy schemes, but it also made clear that all of these were subject to the roads review. So, the position in fact has not changed at all, despite the spin that was put on it. We'll be publishing the roads review within the next month, and we'll be asking the Burns commission to look at the future of the crossing as part of its work. We are expecting an interim report from the Burns commission shortly, and I think we all need to think about the role that infrastructure has to play in achieving both economic development but also achieving our carbon targets.