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M4 relief road: Chancellor 'to approve toll plan' M4 relief road: Chancellor 'to approve toll plan'
(35 minutes later)
An M4 relief road around Newport could get the backing of the Treasury as a toll road, according to press reports. An M4 relief road in south Wales could get the backing of the Treasury as a toll road, according to press reports.
Both The Times and Independent report that the Chancellor will announce plans to support a new toll motorway in June's comprehensive spending review.Both The Times and Independent report that the Chancellor will announce plans to support a new toll motorway in June's comprehensive spending review.
The Welsh government announced plans for an M4 relief road back in 2004 before they were later dropped in 2009. The Welsh government announced plans for an M4 relief road around Newport in 2004 but they were dropped in 2009.
It said last month it was "following due process" on the issue of easing the congestion on the M4 around Newport. If approved, it would be the UK's second toll motorway after the 27 mile (43km) M6 Toll which opened in 2003.
Talks are continuing between the UK and Welsh governments about ways to fund improvements to the M4 in south Wales.Talks are continuing between the UK and Welsh governments about ways to fund improvements to the M4 in south Wales.
Neither has commented directly on the latest press reports, but the Welsh government pointed to a statement last month that it was "following due process" on the issue of easing the congestion on the M4 around Newport.
Crashes
Both newspapers report that funding for a relief motorway will be guaranteed by the Treasury to allow Welsh government to build the road and then to repay the loan at least in part by raising tolls.Both newspapers report that funding for a relief motorway will be guaranteed by the Treasury to allow Welsh government to build the road and then to repay the loan at least in part by raising tolls.
Business leaders have warned that traffic jams in the area have been bad for the economy of south Wales.
Employers' group the CBI has called a relief road to ease congestion on the M4 near Newport a "clear priority".Employers' group the CBI has called a relief road to ease congestion on the M4 near Newport a "clear priority".
Neither the UK nor Welsh government has commented on the latest press reports. Business leaders say traffic jams, particularly after crashes which close the motorway, are bad for the economy of south Wales.
Plans for a 14-mile road to ease congestion on the M4 around Newport, between junctions 23 and 29, were announced in 2004.
The estimated the cost of the scheme at least £350m and raised the possibility then that the new motorway - which would have opened in 2013 - would be tolled.
When the scheme was scrapped in 2009, its likely cost had risen to £1bn.
Ieuan Wyn Jones, then deputy first minister and transport minister, said at the time that putting tolls on the "unaffordable" proposed new road would have reduced its economic effectiveness.