A40 road upgrade to speed ahead (From Western Telegraph)

A40 road upgrade to speed ahead

THE countys main road artery looks set to be dualled before the end of the decade.

After years of pressure from industry and transport groups, the upgrading of the 22-mile stretch of the A40 between Haverfordwest and St Clears has been declared a priority by the National Assembly in its first ever Trunk Road Forward Programme.

The growth of Wales economic ties with Ireland is a key reason behind the decision.

Estimated at £60 million, the scheme could begin within six years. On Thursday, Wales transport minister, Sue Essex, pledged it would be one of her top priorities, and ranked it 19th on her list of 50 road building projects. The first phase will be an extensive environmental assessment. The Assemblys commitment to the scheme has been broadly welcomed as a major boost to the local economy, but representatives of the environmental lobby are less enthusiastic. They say it will cut just six minutes from the journey time between Fishguard and Carmarthen. Val Jones, of Friends of the Earth Pembrokeshire, suggests the impact could be catastrophic.

Pembrokeshire County Council disagrees. Leader, Councillor Maurice Hughes, describes the scheme as wonderful news and believes it is essential to the areas economic prosperity.

He said: We must ensure that the scheme goes ahead as quickly as possible so that businesses attracted to the county via the Objective One programme are reassured that there is a commitment to improving a strategic part of the communication network.

His delight is shared by the Fishguard Harbour ferry firm, Stena Line. Our volume of traffic has increased enormously since we introduced the fast ferry, says the companys spokesman. While that ferry crossing takes just 99 minutes there is no guaranteeing how long the journey to and out of Pembrokeshire will take.

Other major road improvements could also be implemented in the county within three years. Realignment of the A40 at The Kell, Treffgarne, and upgrading of the A477 between Nash fingerpost and Bangeston, near Pembroke Dock, are among the top five schemes listed in the Trunk Road Forward Programme.