Wales pumps more money into transport

Four local transport projects will be completed ahead of schedule and two new ones supported by an extra £510,000 funding, says Wales Transport Minister, Edwina Hart.

The money, for the schemes in Swansea, the Cynon Valley, Queensferry, Magor and Cardiff, comes from a re-allocation of funding from the 2015-16 Local Transport Fund Grant following underspends by other projects. 

Mrs Hart said, "I am very pleased to be able to re-allocate £510,000 to support two new projects and speed up another four schemes from the 2015-16 Local Transport Fund. The projects will improve access to jobs and services, improve safety and travel times and support more walking and cycling."

The two new projects that will receive funding are:

• The Wheels to Work project in Swansea will receive £25,000 for the purchase of scooters, which will be loaned to people who lack transportation means to get to work.
• The Magor Study receives £20,000 for construction of a car park extension at Severn Tunnel Junction Station and for a feasibility study for further improvement works at Magor Station.

Four projects will receive an extra allocation from the 2015-16 Local Transport Fund.

• An additional £157,000 to accelerate the provision of bus lanes in both directions on the A48 Eastern Avenue between Pentwyn Interchange and A4232 Pentwyn Link interchange.
• An extra £200,000 for the Queensferry Roundabout and Asda Signal Junction Improvement scheme to improve access to sites within the Deeside Enterprise Zone, including the Northern Gateway / Airfields development site. The extra money will allow the completion of additional highway works.
• The Cynon Valley Gateway project to provide a new east-west highway link will get £98,000 to bring forward the purchase of land for the scheme.
• £10,000 to bring forward the purchase of land for the Kingsbridge active travel scheme to provide walking and cycling routes.