Plans for A48 bike and bus lanes still on the drawing board

Nicholas Thomas, local democracy reporter

New bike and bus lanes between Newport and Cardiff are still at the design stage but will give people “more transport options” when they are completed, a government minister has said.

Ken Skates, the Welsh Government’s transport secretary, said the proposals for the A48 would create “high quality public transport links” between the two cities.

His comments follow criticism of the project by a Newport councillor, who claimed plans to reconfigure the road layout to prioritise public transport and so-called ‘active travel’ were “ridiculous”.

Cllr David Fouweather, a Conservative, added an “overwhelming number rejected these plans” during a 2022 public consultation.

At the time, people were presented with three options for reconfiguring the road.

The first would involve separate two-way bike lanes and “limited” changes for pedestrians and buses.

A second option would create the two-way bike lanes, as well as new cycle crossings, widened walkways for pedestrians, bus priority measures on some junctions, and some changes to roundabouts.

The third and most expansive option would bring all of those changes, but with bus priority measures on all junctions, and roundabouts converted to traffic light-controlled crossroads.

In his written question to Newport Council, Cllr Fouweather accused the Labour-run Welsh Government of having “ignored” objections to plans he alleged would impact villagers on the city’s western outskirts.

In her response, Cllr Rhian Howells, the cabinet member for infrastructure, did not reply directly to Cllr Fouweather asking whether the local authority supported the project.

But she did note the A48 proposals “form part of the Burns proposals being progressed in lieu of the provision of an M4 relief road”.

The council has been involved in discussions with Transport for Wales on the A48 plan, “to determine opportunities to provide improvements as part of a potential package of measures”, she added.

A 2024 prospectus, which sets out the Welsh Government’s aspirations for transport in the Newport region, describes the A48 as having “huge opportunity for modern, more sustainable use”.

It notes “improvements would best be delivered in phases”, beginning with the walking and cycling changes, and followed by public transport works to “make bus journeys quicker and more reliable”.

Following the councillors’ exchange, Mr Skates challenged the claim the project was unpopular.

He argued that during the public consultation, “more people supported the preferred option than opposed it”.

A report on the consultation’s findings showed 43% of people favoured the first – and least intrusive – option, compared with 40% who opposed it.

Congestion

Those opposed to that option voiced concerns the changes would increase congestion and claimed there were not enough current cyclists to justify the project.

The remaining two options saw more people in opposition than in favour.

But Mr Skates was upbeat about the impact the A48 project would have on travel between the two cities.

He said: “The scheme will only be delivered in agreement with the local authorities, and any changes to the road network will complement planned new railway stations on the South Wales mainline. Together, these will give people across the region more transport options.”