Welsh Conservative Member of the Senedd for South Wales West, Tom Giffard MS, questioned the First Minister in the Senedd on Tuesday about the package of improvements once promised by Welsh Labour for Swansea junctions along the M4, which were then cancelled by Labour in 2023.
The much-needed projects, would have seen improvements made at M4 junctions, including 45 (Ynysforgan) and 47 (Penllergaer) – which are grid-locked daily, causing long delays and nightmare journeys for the hundreds of commuters using the M4 every day.
But in an exchange this week in the Senedd, Tom Giffard MS called on the First Minister to look again at the cancellation of the projects; and in turn, the First Minister agreed to ask her Transport Cabinet Secretary, Ken Skates, to look at what could be done.
In a debate in the Senedd, Tom Giffard MS asked the First Minister about the cancelled M4 junction upgrade projects at junction 45 at Ynysforgan and junction 47 at Penllergaer.
Mr Giffard said that “a study in 2017 showed that the M4 could come to a standstill around 30 times in a day, and these junction upgrades were absolutely crucial to ensure that we keep Wales and our M4—our main arterial road—moving.”
He asked the First Minister “can I have an assurance from you that you will look again at these junction upgrade projects around Swansea, to see whether they can be brought back under your leadership?”
Responding, First Minister Eluned Morgan replied that “it is important to make sure we keep the traffic flowing, and that’s why there have been methods to introduce speeding limits, for example, to make sure that the flow just continues, and you don’t get that stop start that annoys us all.”
She added that “In relation to the junction upgrades, I have heard the frustrations for many people in those areas, and I’ll ask the Transport Secretary to look into that.”
Commenting on the exchange, Tom Giffard MS, said: “In true Welsh Labour style, all investment into new roads in Wales were stopped in 2023, unless they moved people away from cars and onto public and active forms of transport.
“This meant that much-needed projects such as junction improvements on key Swansea junctions such as Penllergaer and Ynysforgan were shelved too.
“This news came on the heels of the previous decision by the Welsh Government to cancel the M4 relief road project in Newport too, causing gridlock on Wales’ most valuable road.
“I’m delighted that the First Minister has now confirmed that the Welsh Government will now look again and re-visit these crucial Swansea junction projects, and I’ll be keeping up the pressure to make sure they happen!”
(Lead image: Traffic Wales)
