Image of the Welsh Roads Review panel report

Among the projects halted was a third Menai bridge linking Anglesey and the Welsh mainland.

Lee Waters, Deputy Climate Change Minister for Wales, has set out plans for future investment in the country’s road networks that he claims place climate change at the heart of decision making.

All Welsh road building projects not already in construction were frozen in July 2021. An independent Panel was created to review the compatibility with these schemes against the Wales Transport Strategy 2021 and the government’s emissions reduction plan Net Zero Wales.

The Panel’s final report has now been published, alongside the government’s Programme of Future Road Investment. The initial response from stakeholders suggest that this does indeed represent a radical departure from previous road investment plans.

Only 15 of the 59 projects reviewed by the Panel will now go ahead in their original form, with high profile casualties including plans for a 3rd Menai crossing.

Perhaps more significantly for the long term, the Welsh Government has accepted the Panel’s recommendations that:

In future road schemes should only go ahead to meet four purposes:

• Shifting trips to sustainable transport to reduce carbon emissions
• Reducing casualties where they are high, through small scale changes
• Adapting roads to the impact of climate change
• Supporting prosperity by providing access to development sites that will achieve high sustainable transport mode share

And that schemes for these purposes must meet four conditions:

• The scheme should minimise carbon emissions in construction
• The scheme should not lead to higher vehicle speeds that increase emissions
• The scheme should not increase road capacity for cars
• The scheme should not adversely affect ecologically valuable sites

CIHT President, Neil Johnstone said:

This is a seminal decision which merits attention and understanding. This represents the Welsh Government's commitment to put sustainable transport at the heart of its decision-making.  A lot of work is going into decarbonising the network and the fleet, which CIHT supports. Roads remain a critical national asset connecting communities and people to goods and services and opportunities. I look forward to engaging and debating this announcement within our membership.  

CIHT will be exploring the implications of this decision for our members and for society, and in doing so we are seeking your views on the following question:

Do you agree with the recommendations from the Roads Review Panel as being the most effective way of meeting our legal obligation to reach Net Zero by 2050? - join the discussion on CIHT Connect

CIHT will also be exploring what these changes mean for transportation professionals in Wales and the wider UK and is holding a webinar that will take place on 4 April 12:30-14:00

In the meantime, the Institution is supporting all members improve their knowledge and skills via the new Transport Decarbonisation Pathway which provides access to hundreds of hours of relevant material.