The new year has barely started at the Assembly and the Welsh Government has already run into problems of overpromising and underdelivering on infrastructure for our region.

Starting with the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road, the problems that have dogged this project show no signs of abating. There has yet to be a clear plan of how the £50million+ cost overrun will be tackled and this does not yet consider any knock-on effects for later stages of the project. This road project is crucial for Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen and Merthyr but the Welsh government seem unable to manage the construction effectively.

The Welsh Government’s inability to keep to their set budget isn’t limited to A465. The new relief road for the M4 has been the major point of discussion in the Assembly for 2018. When the project was first announced, it was claimed it would cost significantly less than £1billion. The most recent figure has been in the region of £1.4billion, an increase of nearly 50% and construction hasn’t even begun.

The Welsh Government has rightly been questioned about their mismanagement of these projects in the Assembly and whilst their answers have not been wholly satisfactory, it is clear that there is still a need to push on with these projects. The A465 was not fit for purpose and needed the improvements.

The M4 is even more crucial, delays on the M4 are a continuous drain on our region’s economy. Once the inquiry is concluded it is essential that the Welsh Government take firm control of the budget for the project and ensure that it can be delivered at a good price for taxpayers.

The Severn Bridge tolls, for so long a brake on prosperity for our region will soon be at an end. We need these improvements to our road network so our region can fulfil its economic potential which has been held back for so long. It is now time for the Welsh Government to step up and deliver for south-east Wales after years of delays and unmet promises.