Labour MP Mark Tami criticises pause to A55-A494 'red route' scheme

A Labour MP says he is "very disappointed" in Welsh government plans to pause a new road scheme in Flintshire.

Mark Tami said the so-called "red route" scheme planned to link the A55 with the A494 and the A548 would reduce air pollution in Aston and Shotton.

Last week Welsh ministers said all new road-building projects would be frozen while they conducted a review.

The Welsh government has been asked to respond to Mr Tami's comments.

Welsh ministers have said freezing new schemes was necessary to cut carbon emissions.

But the Conservatives warned the decision would be a "significant blow" to economic recovery.

Plaid Cymru said the review should not mean communities were "left behind".

Alyn and Deeside MP Mr Tami has now criticised the decision to halt the plans for the red route in Flintshire, which would include a new eight-mile (13km) dual carriageway.

The new road would be an alternative for the congested A494 which runs past Aston and Shotton.

Mr Tami said his concern with pausing the project was about "public health and air quality".

"There are people that live in Aston and Shotton very close to the road," he said.

"We have a 50mph speed limit for a reason there, because pollution levels are far too high and unacceptable, and so I wanted to see the route go ahead.

"I'm very disappointed that it isn't. I hope it still will go ahead and just putting it off isn't really the answer."

Opponents of the red route have said it will cut through ancient woodland and contribute to climate change.

"The fact is it is a heavily used road," Mr Tami said.

"If you get any sort of accident on it you have cars and lorries backing up, which are polluting the road.

"So from a climate change point of view, I don't really see how it helps having that sort of situation and the facts speak for themselves that the air quality is just not acceptable at that level that it is now.

"If we don't have the red route that's only set to get worse."

Mr Tami said a "lot of time and a lot of money" had gone into planning the route.

He said: "I really want to see this situation resolved so we have better quality air for the residents of Aston and Shotton."

The Senedd petitions committee held an inquiry into the scheme after 1,400 people signed a petition opposing it.

It said work to build the road should not begin until the impact Covid has had on traffic patterns had been analysed.

Mr Tami said: "We obviously saw a reduction in usage of cars and perhaps lorries during the height of the Covid crisis, but if you if you look at the roads now they are pretty much getting back to normal.

"And you know the problem just hasn't gone away.

"I've had a number of emails from people who, like me, are concerned that after all the work that was done, and they were expecting it to go ahead, now find that it's sort of drifted into the long grass."

He said the red route was "the best option" for improving air quality for people who live on the road.

"I fully accept that if you live near the red route you might not want to see it go ahead," he said.

"But I think we have to look at the whole rather than just that particular aspect."

He said it would be "great" to use other kinds of transport "if they were actually there".