Dear North Wales Wildlife Trust,
Thank you for the e-mails received from constituents, below, regarding the proposed "Red Route" Deeside Corridor to the A55 at Northop, Flintshire.
As you will know, the route choice was a Welsh Government decision.
Acting on behalf of constituents, I have raised this with Ken Skates MS, the Minister for Economy and Transport, a number of times since 2018, highlighting concerns including environmental impact on habitats, meadows and ancient woodland.
A closed petition to ‘Stop the Red Route (A55/A494 corridor)’ is also now under consideration by the Petitions Committee in the Welsh Parliament (I am not a member of this) – see: https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/1502.
As you will appreciate, I am a member of the Welsh Conservative Official Opposition and Shadow Cabinet in the Welsh Parliament/Senedd Cymru, not of the separate Welsh Government.
Welsh Conservatives recognise the need for infrastructure investment, particularly in North Wales, allowing for a greater mobility of goods and services.
Regional inequality has been a national embarrassment under successive Welsh Labour-led Governments and Welsh Conservatives want to change that through investment into Mid and North Wales. However, we also believe that a strong economy does not have to come at the cost of poor environmental choices. It is vital that a balance be struck between economic and environmental demands.
As an overall point about the environment, Welsh Conservatives passionately believe environmental principles are instinctively Conservative principles and, as advocates of individual responsibility, they go to the very heart of what we believe in.
A Welsh Conservative Government would overhaul the Environment department in the Welsh Government, bringing greater focus to the job, and would ensure there is a Minister directly responsible for powering economic prosperity into agriculture, forestry and our rural communities. I am proud to say that a Welsh Conservative Government would place strong emphasis on both the economy of Wales and its beautiful environment.
While a public consultation has yet to be released, my colleague, the Shadow Minister for the Economy and Transport, Russell George MS, will raise the issues that you have outlined, such as considerations to the environmental impact as well as the increase in costs. Once the public consultation is released, I also strongly suggest you respond to it, so that the Welsh Government is able to consider its decision carefully.
Kind regards
Mark
Mark Isherwood MS/AS
