No economic gain from £1 billion motorway

26 June 2013

Chancellor George Osborne's support for extending the M4 through the environmentally important Gwent Levels wetlands could leave Welsh taxpayers paying off over £1 billion of debt for decades. Yet the Welsh Government recently admitted [1] it has published no evidence for the economic benefit of extending the M4 around Newport, and has failed to act on its own findings that traffic in the Brynglas tunnels could be reduced by 5% almost immediately and at very little cost [2].

Gareth Clubb, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, said:

"The UK Government is eagerly looking forward to finance a scheme the Welsh Government admits has no proven economic benefits. There's not a bank manager in Wales who'd lend to a business without a plan, yet George Osborne appears keen to pour austerity cash into a project that could be a catastrophic waste of money.

"If there are concerns about congestion around the Brynglas tunnels, why hasn't the Welsh Government gone ahead with a virtually no-cost solution that would reduce congestion at the same time as improving public transport into Newport? It's all the more surprising as this is a solution the government proposed back in 2011.

"From poor consultation, to missed opportunities and bad business sense, the road to concreting over the wildlife-rich Gwent Levels wetlands has been a disaster for the Welsh Government."

Notes:

1. Freedom of Information request, Welsh Government, 18 June 2013

2. M4 Corridor Enhancement Measures Appraisal Summary Workbook Supporting Technical Document, July 2011  page 33

For further information, please contact Friends of the Earth Cymru on 029 2022 9577