Monday, June 10, 2019
The facts on M4 congestion around Port Talbot and Swansea
When the decision not to build an M4 by-pass around Newport was announced last week I argued that it had in any case been a very 'Cardiff-centric' scheme:
The level of congestion and number of business-sapping accidents are as bad on the stretch of the M4 between junctions 37 and 45 as those around Newport, but there is no sign of a multi-billion pound scheme to tackle those problems. That is because it is not the Cardiff region economy that suffers from delays generated by these incidents.
Now the BBC have very kindly reported on statistics that back up my argument. They have concluded that motorway congestion west of Swansea has seen the biggest increase in M4 traffic - up 78% since 2000. And they confirm worries that the building of thousands of new homes off the motorway will add to these problems.
One transport expert, Professor Mark Barry, says that the issues are a "brake on the economy" of Swansea Bay. He suggests a re-think of city deal priorities to improve connectivity:
The five M4 junctions in Wales which have seen the biggest increases have all been west of Port Talbot, according to Department for Transport figures.
Junction 48 has seen a 45.5% increase in traffic. In the morning peak hour, more than 2,000 vehicles pass through junction 47 heading east.
The need for investment in public transport here has never been so stark. According to analysis by the Centre for Cities, Swansea has one of the lowest proportions of commuting by public transport in the UK - just 6% travel by bus or train.
There is an urgent need for a Swansea Metro system to be introduced in the region to take pressure off the M4. In short, we need a share of the £2 billion that was allocated to deal with congestion around Newport. Not everything is about Cardiff. Isn't it time the Welsh Government recognised that.
The level of congestion and number of business-sapping accidents are as bad on the stretch of the M4 between junctions 37 and 45 as those around Newport, but there is no sign of a multi-billion pound scheme to tackle those problems. That is because it is not the Cardiff region economy that suffers from delays generated by these incidents.
Now the BBC have very kindly reported on statistics that back up my argument. They have concluded that motorway congestion west of Swansea has seen the biggest increase in M4 traffic - up 78% since 2000. And they confirm worries that the building of thousands of new homes off the motorway will add to these problems.
One transport expert, Professor Mark Barry, says that the issues are a "brake on the economy" of Swansea Bay. He suggests a re-think of city deal priorities to improve connectivity:
The five M4 junctions in Wales which have seen the biggest increases have all been west of Port Talbot, according to Department for Transport figures.
Junction 48 has seen a 45.5% increase in traffic. In the morning peak hour, more than 2,000 vehicles pass through junction 47 heading east.
The need for investment in public transport here has never been so stark. According to analysis by the Centre for Cities, Swansea has one of the lowest proportions of commuting by public transport in the UK - just 6% travel by bus or train.
There is an urgent need for a Swansea Metro system to be introduced in the region to take pressure off the M4. In short, we need a share of the £2 billion that was allocated to deal with congestion around Newport. Not everything is about Cardiff. Isn't it time the Welsh Government recognised that.
