Welsh Road Building Projects Stopped After Failing Climate Review

Dozens of road building projects across Wales have been halted or amended as part of a 'groundbreaking' policy that reassessed more than 50 schemes against a series of tough tests on their impact on the climate emergency. From a report: Only 15 of the projects reviewed by an expert roads review panel will go ahead in their original form, with others scaled back, postponed or in some cases shelved. Lee Waters, the deputy climate change minister in the Labour-led Welsh government, described the decisions as 'groundbreaking' and green campaigners characterised the administration's approach as 'world-leading.'

Waters accepted the policy would attract criticism from some. 'It's always difficult to make decisions with short-term pain for long-term gain,' he said. However, he insisted a 'llwybr newydd' (new path) was needed. 'We will not get to net zero unless we stop doing the same thing over and over,' he said. Among the projects halted are a third Menai Bridge linking Anglesey and the mainland while a controversial 'red route' scheme in Flintshire, north Wales, a major new road that threatened ancient woodland and wildflower meadows, will not go ahead as planned.

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