A55 Flintshire ‘Red Route’ decision set to be announced today

The Welsh Government will publish the final report from the Welsh Roads Review Panel today, which will include updates on over 50 road schemes that were put on hold in 2021.

It is expected that the delayed report will provide information on the status of the proposed “Red Route” scheme in Flintshire.

The Red Route scheme was originally proposed in 2017 to address traffic problems in Deeside and the A55.

It would involve the construction of a 13km dual carriageway linking the A55 at Northop with the A494 and A550 north of Deeside Parkway Junction via the Flintshire Bridge.

However, the Welsh government suspended all new road building in 2021 for a year-long review.

The Welsh Roads Review Panel, consisting of climate change and transport specialists from across the UK, was led by Dr Lynn Sloman MBE, a transport consultant based in Wales.

The panel was appointed in 2021 to consider whether new roads were the right solution for transport problems or if alternative sustainable modes of transport would be more effective.

At the start of the review process, Dr Sloman emphasized the importance of avoiding investments that increase carbon emissions, especially in the next 15 years, when most cars on the road will still be petrol and diesel vehicles.

Transport makes up 15% of the total emissions in Wales and these emissions have hardly reduced in the last 30 years, despite advances in vehicle technology.

Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters has previously stated, “We are in a never-ending cycle which we need to break to do things differently.”

The panel’s findings will be made public this afternoon, Tuesday, February 14, when the Deputy Minister delivers an oral statement to the Senedd.

The Welsh Government will also publish its National Transport Delivery Plan (NTDP), which will outline the projects and policies going forward.