Council confirms implementation of original improvement plan for major road

Alec Doyle, Local democracy reporter

Investment in Junction 4 of the A483 will finally deliver transport improvements worth an estimated £64.4 million to the North Wales economy.

Wrexham County Borough Council Leader Cllr Mark Pritchard and Deputy Leader Cllr Dave Bithell met with Welsh Government officials this week to confirm the plans.

In that meeting they were given assurances that the original 2020 plans for the junction would be revived in full following the announcement of £1.5 million of extra funding.

Those plans include increased junction capacity, traffic lights to manage flow and safer cycling and pedestrian routes to improve active travel.

According to the original feasibility report carried out in 2020 by Mott Macdonald, the improvements to Junction 4 would have significant economic benefits.

“Improvements, particularly to Junction 4, could support three employment sites within a two kilometre distance of the A483,” it said. “This has the potential to create 1,454 net jobs and approximately £64.4 million of GVA per annum.”

Despite this the proposal – and the wider £53 million A483 improvement programme they were part of – was scrapped in 2023 by the Welsh Government.

Following the Senedd’s recent U-turn on Junction 4, Cllr Pritchard and Cllr Bithell confirmed that the original plans were now going to be delivered.

“This week we held very positive talks with Welsh Government officials about improvements to Junction 4 on the A483,” they said.

“Plans were outlined earlier this year by Welsh Government as part of a raft of measures to improve transport around the Western Gateway – a strategically important site located on the edge of the city, which could help attract new business investment and employment opportunities to the region.

“During the meeting, it was confirmed that the project will be moving ahead using the original scheme that was put on the table a few years ago, which we believe will bring huge benefits to the city.

“We welcome this news, as this is a really positive step for Wrexham and we look forward to seeing the project progress in the coming months.”

The Junction 4 works are critical – but only represent part of the original £53 million proposal which set out improvements from junction 3 to 6 of the A483.

Wrexham Council also confirmed this week it continues to lobby for the entire programme of works to be reinstated

“Our aspirations remain the same for junctions 3-6,” the authority said in a statement.