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After over two decades of construction and congestion, the A465 Heads of the Valleys road in south Wales has finally been fully opened following a £2bn upgrade that began in 2002. The 28-mile improvement project aims to reduce travel times between west Wales and the Midlands while bringing prosperity to one of the UK’s most deprived regions. However, the lengthy duration and high cost of the upgrade have faced criticism from some quarters despite the benefits it promises to bring.
Planned by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government in 1990 due to traffic delays and accidents along the route, actual construction of the dual carriageway did not begin until Tony Blair’s tenure as prime minister in 2002. With overspending, pandemic-related delays, and multiple road closures, completion of the project has been a challenging journey. Now, motorists can benefit from a direct route between Swansea and Monmouthshire without encountering roadworks for the first time in 23 years.
The upgrade of the A465 was essential due to the road’s proximity to the south Wales coalfields, a national park, and residential areas, necessitating the construction of numerous new bridges and junctions to improve safety and traffic flow. The environmental impact of the project has been mitigated by planting 285,000 trees to offset millions of kilograms of CO2 emissions annually, demonstrating Wales’ commitment to addressing climate change. The project’s significance in fostering economic development and connectivity across the region has been highlighted by Welsh Transport Secretary Ken Skates.
The cost of the Heads of the Valleys roadworks, totaling approximately £2bn over
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