Caerphilly Observer
Member Sign in Manage Membership
Become a Member - no ads
Menu
  • News
    • Senedd
    • Business
    • Newport
    • Opinion
  • Sport
    • Rugby union
    • Football
  • Membership & Subscriptions
  • Notices
  • Obituaries
  • About
    • Advertise
  • Sponsored Content
Menu

Claim city roundabout works will cause ‘serious difficulties’ as project funding questioned

Newport | Nicholas Thomas - Local Democracy Reporting Service | Published: 14:38, Thursday April 10th, 2025.
Last updated: 14:38, Thursday April 10th, 2025

Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today

Artist impression of the Old Green Roundabout proposals
Artist impression of the Old Green Roundabout proposals

A proposed overhaul of Old Green Roundabout in Newport city centre could cause “serious difficulties” for drivers and harm businesses, an opposition councillor claims.

Newport City Council has also heard concerns about there being “no money” for the project.

The Welsh Government said it had provided “significant funding” for development work and will liaise with councils on “final investment decisions”. 

The Old Green project is part of wider work to improve regional transport, following the scrapping of the M4 relief road plan.

If the proposals go ahead, the current roundabout could be reconfigured into a traffic light-controlled junction – similar to a previous layout.

But Cllr David Fouweather said that risked sending the city centre back decades, to scenes of long traffic queues and paralysed roads.

He claimed residents were “mostly against these alterations” and urged the council leader, Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, to ensure feedback is “taken seriously” by decision-makers at the Transport for Wales (TfW)-led Burns Delivery Unit.

Major city centre transport changes on track despite lukewarm public reception

He also asked Cllr Batrouni to “stand up for Newport and tell TfW and the Welsh Government that the alterations to Old Green cannot take place” if city residents “overwhelmingly” opposed the project.

Cllr Fouweather, a Conservative, also sought clarity on how much the council, TfW and the Welsh Government had contributed financially to the project.

Cllr Batrouni said the council had “allocated no funds” for it, and accepted people in the city had “differing views” on changing Old Green.

He said change at the roundabout was needed, but “it has to be the right investment”.

“What I’m concerned about [is] it’s a circa £40 million investment,” he added. “I don’t want that money going elsewhere. If there are serious concerns and they are evidence-based, I would like them included in our counter-proposals – if there were any – to make sure that £40 million is still spent in Newport.

Brownfield land and empty shops could hold key to council’s regeneration plans

“Because if we say no in its entirety, without any way of saying ‘what about this’, we know what will happen to the money. It won’t be spent in Newport, it will just be sucked off somewhere else.”

Cllr Fouweather said any change “has to be done sensibly… so the motorists can get about”.

He also alleged the council should stand up for Newport or decision-makers “will just plough ahead anyway and do what they want regardless”.

But Cllr Batrouni suggested any final decision on the project was a long way off, given its financial situation.

“You made a comment about ploughing ahead,” the leader told Cllr Fouweather, adding: “First you need a plough and the money. To date, as I speak, there is no money from the Welsh Government to make this scheme go ahead anyway.”

Following the city council meeting, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The TfW Burns Delivery Unit has developed ambitious proposals to improve regional transport in the area, and we’ve provided significant funding for this development work to date and we will continue to provide them funding in 2025/26. 

Hopes hospital’s new waiting room will finally ease crowding

“We’ll work closely with local authorities when making final investment decisions.”

Meanwhile, a petition calling for “no change to the Old Green Roundabout” has collected more than 1,000 signatures.

Conservative Party campaigner Michael Enea, who is behind the campaign, said the petition “shows the strength of feeling among Newport residents”

He added: “The overall project is estimated to cost in the region of £40 million.

“It’s an obscene amount of money that could be much better spent on upgrading our city centre with new street paving, open green spaces, public toilets, sculptured kerbstones, new street furniture, better lampposts and lighting.”

Speaking previously in support of the project, TfW’s chief transport and development officer, Geoff Ogden, said: “These proposals have the potential to significantly improve travel in Newport by providing better links between rail and bus and better routes for walking, wheeling and cycling.”


Sign-up to our daily newsletter


Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts.

Become a member today

Transport for Wales

Latest News

  • The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth
    National Library on high alert over cyber attacksFriday, October 10, 2025
  • Aerial Image of the proposed development site (marked roughly in yellow) next to Coedcae Road, Abertridwr
    Plans for 17 new homes finally get thumbs upFriday, October 10, 2025
  • Caerphilly Sport Awards 2025 finalists announcedFriday, October 10, 2025
  • St Peter's Church, Deri, pictured in July 2025
    Church and hall could be transformed into two new homesFriday, October 10, 2025
  • Premier Stores in Bedwlwyn Road, Ystrad Mynach, pictured in June 2025
    Five flats proposed for space above shopFriday, October 10, 2025
  • Stock image
    Landlords count the costs of building safety billFriday, October 10, 2025

Find out how the communities of Caerphilly County Borough get their names

Caerphilly

Legal & Public Notices

  • Caerphilly County Borough Council public noticesThursday, October 2, 2025
  • Notice of application for a premises licence: Hanbury Road, BargoedThursday, September 25, 2025
  • Notice of application for a variation of a premises licence: Pontygwindy Industrial EstateThursday, September 18, 2025
  • Caerphilly County Borough Council public noticesThursday, September 18, 2025
© 2009-2024 Caerphilly Media Ltd, Caerphilly Miners Centre for the Community Watford Road Caerphilly, CF83 1BJ. Incorporated in Wales No. 07604006.