North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has called on the Welsh Government to clarify its position on the A55/A494/A548 Flintshire Corridor 'Red Route' highway project, a 13km dual carriageway in Flintshire that would link the A55 at Northop with the A494 and A550 north of Deeside Parkway Junction.
It has received much objection locally, with campaigners concerned it will destroy wildlife habitats, meadows and woodlands.
Since the route was first proposed, Mr Isherwood has repeatedly highlighted constituents’ concerns with the Welsh Government, and called on them to consider alternatives.
In December former Economy Minister, Ken Skates MS, told Mr Isherwood ‘this route was determined to be the most suitable for the challenge that we face in that particular area of Wales’.
However Delyn’s local MS, Hannah Blythyn, then opposed her Government’s proposed route during the recent Senedd election.
Speaking remotely in today’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, he raised the matter with Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd, during the Welsh Government Business Statement, and called on the Welsh Government to make their position clear.
He said:
“I call for a Welsh Government Statement on its current position regarding the A55/A494/A548 Flintshire Corridor.
“The Labour Welsh Government announced in 2017 that they had decided on the ‘Flintshire Red Route’ option to the A55 at Northop.
“I subsequently raised constituent’s concerns regarding this with the former Economy Minister (Ken Skates MS) on several occasions, highlighting issues including environmental impact on habitats, meadows and ancient woodland.
“Last September he stated ‘we are due to carry out some environmental investigations along the preferred route in Autumn 2020’.
“Last October he stated ‘We are continuing with the next stage of development on the Flintshire corridor improvement and are currently procuring a designer to develop the design of proposals in more detail’.
“Last December, he told me here that ‘this route was determined to be the most suitable for the challenge that we face in that particular area of Wales’.
“However, during the recent election, the Local Member, herself a Member of the Welsh Government, stated that she opposed the route - and it is understood that the First Minister then stated he would review this.I call for a Statement accordingly.”
The Minister replied: “This issue is obviously being looked at by the new Minister and I will certainly ask her to bring a statement forward when she has all the relevant information.”
Speaking afterwards, Mr Isherwood added:
“Local people and campaigners deserve to know what is going on as soon as possible”.