A proposal to divert traffic away from the M4 at Newport onto the A465, or Heads of the Valleys Road, has been fiercely criticised in the Senedd.

The Welsh Government has said it will review congestion solutions around the third largest city in Wales over an 18-month period. One proposal includes the closure of motorway junctions, leaving less entry and exit points on the M4 corridor.

Another, which has sparked concern, includes encouraging more HGV traffic to use the A465 - which only recently opened in its entirety since decades-long work to turn it into a dual carriageway concluded.

Despite this, questions over that road’s reliability have already been raised. A recent closure at black rock, near Brynmawr, left lengthy tailbacks at peak times due to concerns with the structure of a bridge supporting the road. That section of the work overran and came in over budget, and the apparent lack of consideration for towns and villages such as Abergavenny and Gilwern have been questioned.

“The suggestion to encourage HGVs to use the A465 will supposedly reduce traffic on the M4 by one per cent,” said Peter Fox MS.

“That is great, but it will then move that same one per cent on to already challenged areas like the Hardwick interchange at Abergavenny, so let’s not send Newport’s congestion on a sightseeing tour of Wales.”

“We know the answer is a relief road First Minister.”

Mr Fox’s Party, the Conservatives, has always supported building the M4 relief road. Meanwhile, Welsh Labour Leader, Ken Skates MS, has now called for Plaid Cymru to start work on such a project. The party that initially rejected plans to build the road due to environmental concerns when it was in government has now U-turned. Every opposition party in the Senedd now supports the relief road scheme.

Labour will table a vote in the Senedd next Wednesday calling for a relief road to be built.