News

M4 relief road cancelled after cost estimates rise to over £2 billion

Published

7 years ago

June 5, 2019

THE WELSH Government has ditched plans to build an M4 relief road.

After years of planning, a lengthy public inquiry, and extensive controversy both about the delays in making a decision and the potential environmental impact of the new road, First Minister Mark Drakeford announced his widely anticipated decision to cancel the project in a statement issued on Tuesday, June 4.

The M4 relief road was a marquee project for the Welsh Government; however, internal Labour politics slowed down progress towards a decision with the result that former First Minister Carwyn Jones passed the buck for the final decision to his successor. Mr Jones favoured the scheme, while Mr Drakeford was more equivocal about its prospects.

Originally proposed in 1991, the scheme was dropped by the Welsh Government in 2009 on grounds of cost (then an estimated £1bn) before being revived in 2011. The project secured UK Treasury support in 2013 and was approved by the then-Welsh Government Transport Minister Edwina Hart in 2014, with a completion date of 2022.

Since 2014, the road lingered in development hell through a raft of consultations and a public inquiry.

M4 decision: Drakeford slated for dither and delay

The First Minister’s decision to cancel the scheme raises questions about the huge amount of public money and government manpower expended on it. His principal objection is the same as that which led to the original scheme’s cancellation in 2009: money, or the Welsh Government lack of it/unwillingness to spend it.

Friends of the Earth Cymru director Haf Elgar said: “This is great news for Wales and the planet.

“As well as costing Welsh taxpayers over £2 billion pounds, this devastating road would have ploughed through the unique, wildlife-rich Gwent Levels, pumped more climate-wrecking emissions into our atmosphere, and ultimately caused even more congestion and air pollution.

“This decision is a testament to the untiring efforts of local residents who have opposed this plan over decades and is a clear signal that the Welsh Government is taking its climate emergency declaration and commitment to future generations seriously.”

Ian Price, CBI Wales Director, said: “This is a dark day for the Welsh economy. After decades of deliberation and over £40m spent, no problem has been solved today. Congestion and road pollution around Newport can only increase. Economic growth will be stifled, confidence in the region will weaken and the cost of an eventual relief road will rise

“Today’s announcement is a short-term measure that regrettably solves nothing and sends the message that Wales is not open for business.

“As the Welsh Government said at the public inquiry, the black route would emit less carbon emissions than the current road and the whole project would be carbon neutral by 2070. The wider south Wales region around Cardiff and Newport constitute only 4% of Welsh carbon emissions in total. That figure will now likely rise at a higher rate than if the black route had been built.”

On his Facebook page, Stephen Crabb MP said: “They’ve bottled it. The Welsh First Minister’s decision not to give the M4 relief road the green light is short sighted and will be deeply frustrating for number of commuters, businesses and tourists.

“I’ve spoken to numerous Pembrokeshire businesses, from hauliers to tourism operators, who are all fully aware the damage the congestion around Newport does for our local economy. One Pembrokeshire haulage firm alone runs 40 lorries each way through the M4 bottle neck each day, with drivers calling it a ‘no go’ area between 7.30am and 10am in the morning and from 4pm to 6.30pm in the afternoon.

“This decision even contradicts the independent public enquiry led by a planning inspector which backed the project. This is a failure of devolution as the Welsh Assembly was supposed to help projects such as this get off the ground.

“I recently held a debate in Parliament about the importance of this project for the wider Welsh economy, so it is very disappointing that Mark Drakeford has dropped it especially as this issue has dragged on for nearly 30 years.”

Full in-depth coverage in The Herald this Friday

Entertainment

Green Man unveils star-studded comedy line-up for 2026 festival

Published

9 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Joe Lycett, Bridget Christie and Stewart Lee among big names heading to Bannau Brycheiniog as Green Man sells out months in advance

GREEN MAN Festival has revealed its comedy programme for 2026, with some of the UK’s biggest stand-up names set to join a packed line-up of music, arts and entertainment in the heart of Wales this summer.

The award-winning festival, held in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park from Thursday, August 20 to Sunday, August 23, will welcome comedians including Joe Lycett, Bridget Christie, Stewart Lee, Josie Long, Jessica Fostekew, Glenn Moore and Garth Marenghi to its much-loved Last Laugh comedy stage.

The festival’s comedy programme, hosted at the Babbling Tongues stage, will feature 39 acts ranging from household names to emerging performers, in keeping with Green Man’s long-standing reputation for showcasing new talent alongside established stars.

Leading the bill is comedian and television presenter Joe Lycett, known for Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back, Late Night Lycett, and appearances on programmes including Taskmaster, QI and Have I Got News For You.

He will be joined by comedian, actor and writer Bridget Christie, whose Channel 4 sitcom The Change won widespread praise, alongside comedy veteran Stewart Lee, returning to Green Man after topping the bill in 2025.

Other major names announced include Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Josie Long, horror-comedy favourite Garth Marenghi, stand-up Kerry Godliman, and Jessica Fostekew, whose acclaimed show Hench earned an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination.

The programme also features rising talent including Jack Shep, recently announced as part of the cast of Saturday Night Live UK, alongside sketch act Tarot, comedian Glenn Moore and a host of newer voices from across the UK comedy circuit.

Comedy forms just one part of Green Man’s wider cultural offering, with the festival also boasting a major music programme led by headliners Mogwai, Wilco, Four Tet and Wolf Alice.

Other acts confirmed for 2026 include Cat Power, Sparks, Tricky, Mogwai, Shame, Dry Cleaning, Aldous Harding, The Beta Band, Cate Le Bon and Mannequin Pussy.

Green Man, now in its third decade, remains Wales’ largest independent music, science and arts festival, attracting around 25,000 people daily to the Black Mountains area of Powys.

Festival organisers said all tickets for Green Man 2026 sold out within an hour of release in September 2025, although official resale tickets remain available through the festival’s approved resale platform.

Known for combining music with literature, film, science, wellness and family-friendly attractions, Green Man continues to draw visitors from across the UK and beyond while generating millions for the Welsh economy each year.

Fiona Stewart, founder and managing director of Green Man, has previously described the festival as a celebration of creativity and community, with a focus on supporting Welsh producers, artists and emerging talent.

For more information or resale tickets, visit Green Man Festival’s official website.

Photo caption: Green Man Festival has revealed its 2026 comedy programme, featuring major names including Joe Lycett, Bridget Christie and Stewart Lee (Pics: Green Man Festival).

Entertainment

Journey to an enchanted world of love, magic and destiny

Published

13 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A CLASSIC fairy tale will be brought to life at the Torch Theatre this June as Ballet Cymru presents a fresh take on Sleeping Beauty.

The production, set to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, tells the timeless story of a young princess placed under a curse and drawn into an enchanted sleep, in a tale where good and evil collide.

Ballet Cymru’s version explores themes of love, acceptance and what it means to be different, combining innovative choreography, exceptional dancing, distinctive costumes and immersive projections.

Audiences are invited to step into the woods and join Ballet Cymru as it celebrates its 40th anniversary with a magical production performed by some of Wales’ most breathtaking dancers.

The performance will also feature pre-recorded audio description in both Welsh and English.

Anwen Francis, from the Torch Theatre Marketing Team, said: “We are all familiar with the story of Sleeping Beauty, where the young princess falls into an enchanted sleep only to be woken by true love’s kiss.

“With Ballet Cymru celebrating its special birthday, we can’t wait to invite them, and our audiences, to the Torch to be part of this incredible milestone and celebration.”

Ballet Cymru’s Sleeping Beauty will be performed at the Torch Theatre on Wednesday, June 3, at 7:30pm.

Tickets cost £19, £18 concessions and £11 for under-eights. Book online at torchtheatre.co.uk or call the box office on 01646 695267.

Business

Welsh business confidence rises but firms face cost squeeze

Published

23 minutes ago

May 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE BUSINESSES WARNED OF PRESSURE FROM FUEL, TRANSPORT AND SUPPLIER COSTS

WELSH business confidence improved in April, but firms are still facing falling orders, job cuts and rising costs, according to the latest NatWest Wales Growth Tracker.

The report, compiled by S&P Global, found that confidence among Welsh businesses picked up from March’s recent low, amid hopes of stronger demand over the coming year.

However, the overall picture remains challenging. The Wales Business Activity Index rose to 47.9 in April, up from 46.2 in March, but remained below the 50 mark which separates growth from contraction.

For Pembrokeshire businesses, particularly those in tourism, hospitality, transport, food, farming supply chains and small-scale manufacturing, the figures point to continued pressure from higher fuel, materials and delivery costs.

The report found that output and new orders were still falling, although at a slower pace than in March. New sales declined for a third month running, with firms blaming weak customer demand and wider economic uncertainty.

Employment also fell sharply. Welsh businesses recorded the steepest drop in workforce numbers of any of the 12 UK nations and regions monitored, with firms cutting staff or not replacing workers who had left.

Cost pressures were a major concern. Operating expenses rose at the fastest rate since November 2022, driven by higher fuel, transportation and supplier costs. Firms increased their own prices in response, but not by enough to fully offset the rise in costs.

Jessica Shipman, Chair of the NatWest Cymru Board, said: “Welsh business confidence ticked higher on hopes of stronger customer demand and planned investment in building resiliency.

“However, we saw contractions in output and new orders soften during April, but underlying business conditions told a challenging tale. A further drop in new sales led to sharper falls in backlogs of work and employment, as firms sought to cut costs and streamline processes.”

She added that pricing remained a key concern, with higher fuel and transport costs putting further pressure on businesses.

The report also found that Welsh export conditions improved only slightly, with weaker performance in Germany and France weighing on the outlook.

For Pembrokeshire, where many businesses rely on seasonal trade, logistics, hospitality and supply chains linked to agriculture, energy and the port economy, the figures suggest that confidence may be recovering, but margins remain under pressure ahead of the summer trading period.