Local residents concerned over the major Heads of Valleys road development took their issue to Nick Ramsay AM, last week.

The Conservative Monmouth member said he’d met with residents taking issue with how the major scheme was being managed, with some saying changes were being made without their consultation.

Speaking in the Senedd last week, Mr Ramsay claimed the billion-plus project to convert the A465 into dual carriageway had bristled some locals who took issue with design changes and how road closures were being advertised.

“The local impression is that road closures, which are sometimes necessary, are happening without the statutory notification required by law and modifications are being made to the design of the scheme without the usual consultation process,” he said.

“One example is that an important flyover at Gilwern is behind schedule because of a water main issue that local people believe should have been sorted out a long time ago and is yet to be resolved.”

While he said the need for the ambitious project was necessary, Mr Ramsay asked finance secretary Mark Drakeford to keep a close eye on ‘financial oversight’ after it was reported that certain stretches of the project could end up costing £100m per mile – prompting calls for a government-led review.

“In terms of the financial management of other aspects of the dualing, I’ll look carefully at the points that he has raised this afternoon,” replied Mr Drakeford.

Costain’s project director, Bruce Richards said, “The construction programme is extremely complex and challenging, maintaining live traffic throughout our working areas is not always practicable.

“We do our very best to inform residents and the travelling public well in advance of such closures, using social media channels, mass email alerts and through the post, this is in addition to hard and electronic roadside signs.”