'Regrettable' £1.1bn Newport M4 public inquiry delay

The Welsh government has backed a six-lane motorway to run south of Newport

A public inquiry into the £1.1bn M4 relief road around Newport has been delayed until early 2017.

A new formula to project the amount of traffic across the UK has been brought in by the Department for Transport.

It means the Welsh Government has to re-evaluate its evidence ahead of the inquiry, which was due to start on 1 November.

Ministers called it "regrettable" but said the start date for building work would not be affected.

The Department for Transport said it warned Welsh officials it was going to update its traffic projections earlier this year.

But it added it was "committed to working closely with the Welsh Government and encourage them to deliver this project which will improve journeys for drivers".

The Welsh Government wants to build a six-lane motorway to relieve congestion around the Brynglas tunnels.

But there have been objections, including from conservation groups, about the impact on nature reserves.

An artist's impression of M4 relief road

Economy Secretary Ken Skates hopes the new stretch could still be open by autumn 2021 if it goes ahead after the inquiry into the route options.

But he expressed his disappointment at the delay after the inquiry date was first announced in July.

Mr Skates said: "The UK Government has already expressed its desire to see work on the M4 project start as soon as possible.

"So it is hugely disappointing that the Department for Transport (DfT) chose only to engage with us on these amendments to their traffic forecasting three days before they were introduced forcing this regrettable delay to the start date of the public inquiry."

But the Welsh Conservatives said the changes to traffic forecasting were introduced more than nine weeks ago, "which makes today's statement very confusing indeed".

A spokesman added: "The public will question why its postponement has taken so long to announce."

Plaid Cymru infrastructure spokesperson Dai Lloyd said: "This latest delay is down to a lack of communication between governments both ends of the M4, and it is totally unacceptable."

Environmental campaigners and some transport experts have long-questioned whether Welsh Government projections about rising traffic on the existing M4 are accurate.

The data is likely to form a key part of the five-month inquiry into whether a new relief road is the best way to solve congestion issues.

Now the DfT has revised the methodology it uses to predict traffic growth, the Welsh Government will have to double-check the evidence it is set to present to the inquiry, knowing this is an area where it will face considerable scrutiny.

Mr Skates said it was "essential" those submitting evidence to the inquiry had time to fully review the new DfT figures before the inquiry begins.

The inquiry will now start by the end of March 2017.