Work on six local transport schemes to start early in Wales

Welsh Transport Minister Edwina Hart has announced that work on six transport schemes, worth £1.7 million, will be brought forward.

Works on the six schemes to support economic growth, improve safety and promote walking and cycling, announced last year as part of a £27m package of grants to improve local transport, will be brought forward to this financial year.

Mrs Hart said: “The Welsh government is committed to improving transport links across Wales to improve access to employment and services and to create more opportunities for walking and cycling. Our local transport grants are supporting local authority schemes across Wales and I am very pleased to be able to bring forward works on some of these important projects to this financial year.”

The six schemes that have been brought forward are:

• £65,000 for the Cwm to Aberbeeg cycle route in Blaenau Gwent, the first phase of a £260,000 scheme linking the existing Valleys Cycle Network in Cwm to the route at Aberbeeg. The work is expected to be completed in summer 2016 and will be followed by a new river crossing at Aberbeeg



• £20,000 for the Eastern Corridor active travel scheme in Cardiff to improve walking and cycling access to employment and services for the communities of Rumney, Llanrumney, Trowbridge and St Mellons



• £875,000 for phase 2 of the Cross Hands link road. The road will open up the Cross Hands East strategic employment site, with the potential to create up to 1,500 new jobs. It will also provide access to a housing and mixed use development at Emlyn Brickworks and improve journey times along the M4/A48/A40 corridor by alleviating pressure on the Cross Hands roundabout



• £330,000 for cycling and walking schemes in Carmarthenshire along the Towy Valley Way and in designated active travel settlements



• An additional £90,000 towards on improvements at the A40/A466 Wyebridge Junction, Monmouth



• £354,000 for the £1.2m Morfa Distributor Road project in Swansea, which will improve access to jobs and services, reduce congestion and provide better walking and cycling links. Work is now expected to be completed by March 2017.