The Welsh Government is looking into the idea of limiting certain types of traffic to set lanes on a section of the M4, after a suggestion by a Swansea MS.
The change would impact the section of M4 between junction 43 and 38, comes after Swansea East MS Mike Hedges expressed his ‘frustrations’ regarding lorries overtaking other lorries on the motorway, causing congestion. According to the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, latest traffic data from 2023 shows that the annual average daily traffic flow in that section of the motorway is just under 87,500 motor vehicles.
Swansea East MS Mike Hedges said “I use the section of the M4 between junction 43 and 38 several times a week and I know only too well the frustrations, especially at rush hour times, of the congestion on this section of the M4.” For the latest Swansea news, sign up to our newsletter here
Mike Hedges wants to change how lanes are used on a busy Swansea M4 section.
(Image: Welsh Labour)
While acknowledging adding a third lane would be both ‘costly’ and ‘impractical’, the MS suggested limiting the second lane to be ‘cars only’ and keeping the outside lane for through traffic.
He explained: “I believe that the change I suggested to the minister to make the second lane ‘cars only’ would help because it is very frustrating when a slow-moving lorry overtakes a very-slow-moving lorry, and slows everyone down. My further suggestion is to make the outside lane for through traffic and this would also go some way to alleviating the problem. While accepting that it would be impractical and too costly to provide a third lane, something has to be done to improve traffic flow on this stretch of M4.”
Wales’ Cabinet Secretary for Transport Ken Skates said he was aware of congestion on the motorway during peak times.
(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
The idea has been positively received by Mr Skates, who said he was aware that the area could get congested at peak times and that the Swansea East MS’s suggestions ‘merit investigation’. The transport minister said: “I’m very aware that this area does get congested at peak times, and Mike has kindly raised the issue of what the French call ‘elephant racing’ with me in recent days.
“I think his suggestions certainly merit investigation, and I’ll therefore ask my officials to investigate the suggestion of limiting certain traffic to one lane, to ensure that traffic can move more freely in the outer lane. And I’ll see what that might have in terms of positive effects on transport flows and on air quality, and indeed on safety.”
He added that if the changes proposed by Mike Hedges were found to have a ‘positive impact’, the next steps could take ‘months’ but the Welsh government would pursue any solution if there was one.
The transport minister said: “I’ll report back as soon as I can. My understanding is that if they’re found to have a positive impact, the next step would be to obtain motorway regulations, and that could take many, many months. But, as I say to Mike Hedges, if that is a solution to be pursued, we’ll pursue it.”