3. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change: The Roads Review and National Transport Delivery Plan

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:57 pm on 14 February 2023.

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Photo of Sam Rowlands Sam Rowlands Conservative 2:57, 14 February 2023

I thank the Deputy Minister for the statement today, but I must say I'm disappointed that, at the point of the statement being read out, we didn't have a copy of the roads review available to us. So, in terms of being able to make a sensible contribution today in response to your statement, that's made it very difficult for many Members in this Chamber. This is a 327-page document now, and you said to us in your statement, 

'I would urge Members to read the roads review panel report in full.'

It was impossible for us to do that by the time you got on your feet to make the statement. But, nonetheless, looking at the statement—or the report, should I say—since you have been talking, it's clear to me that north Wales is going to miss out massively as a result of this review. Of the 16 projects that are lined up there, the recommendations are for 15 of those to either stop or to be scrapped altogether, and let's look at some of those. You've already mentioned the Wrexham bypass at junctions 3 to 6 on the A55. You've got the A494 Lôn Fawr Ruthin/Corwen Road scheme to be scrapped; the A5/A483 Halton roundabout work to be scrapped; the A55 junctions 15 and 16 to be scrapped; the A55 junctions 32 to 33, that work to be scrapped; the Flintshire corridor improvement work to be scrapped; and then, the kick in the teeth, the third Menai crossing completely dismissed, despite the issues that we've seen across to the island, even in recent months. My constituents in north Wales are going to be extremely concerned not just at this, but also the reports we've heard earlier in regard to the north Wales metro in terms of the amount of investment intended there, compared to what's happening down in south Wales.