M4 relief road public inquiry date announced by ministers

Artist's impression of M4 relief road

The public inquiry into the M4 relief road is set to begin on 1 November, Economy Secretary Ken Skates has announced.

The Welsh Government wants to build a £1.1bn six-lane motorway south of Newport to relieve congestion around the Brynglas tunnels.

The inquiry will examine the controversial plan and alternatives.

A pre-inquiry meeting will take place on Monday at Newport's Lysaght Institute.

It starts at 13:00 BST, is open to all and will allow interested parties to understand the process and prepare for the inquiry itself.

It will not examine evidence. The full inquiry will take place at the same venue.

Opponents of the M4 relief road include environmentalists, opposition politicians in the assembly and Labour backbench AMs, with concerns ranging from cost to the impact on the environment.

Mr Skates said: "It's been clear for some time that for businesses, commuters and visitors alike, the current stretch of M4 around Newport is unable to cope with the needs of modern Wales."

He said the inquiry will provide "open and transparent scrutiny of our proposed solution, and suggested alternatives, before providing vital feedback to inform a final decision on whether we proceed to construction".