Will the Cabinet Secretary confirm the anticipated start and completion dates of the M4 relief road?
The answers to the Member’s question are largely already matters of public record. Recent Inquiry evidence states that, subject to decision making whether to proceed, construction could commence by the end of this year and be completed by the end of 2023. In the last ten years, nine properties have been bought and one has been resold. Decisions to acquire properties under blight are on public record. Three civil servants are occupied full-time by the project, plus part-time support as necessary from up to 10 individuals of various specialisms. This is of course separate to the design, construction and environmental professionals within the external project development team. Expenditure since the adoption of a strategic plan in 2014 is in the public domain. Spending on project development, for example environmental surveys and ground investigations, by year can be seen on our website: http://gov.wales/about/foi/responses/2016/Mar16/atisn10209/?lang=en; and costs for the Public Inquiry are published in evidence at the following link: