THE Welsh Government freeze on all new road building projects - pending a review - will focus attention on sustainable travel according to a Chepstow transport group.

Transition Chepstow believe that the long-mooted town bypass is not the answer to Chepstow's problems with congestion and pollution, and would take, they say, 20-30 years to construct.

"Chepstow can’t wait that long and several people’s gardens and houses would have to be purchased," said Tim Melville Transition Chepstow coordinator.

"A bypass also takes trade away from Chepstow."

Mr Melville believes that the Welsh Government’s decision to freeze all new road building projects will be "a bitter blow" for advocates of the project, but will focus attention on Transition Chepstow’s sustainable transport plan - which he says is the first of its kind in the UK.

"This vision will be implemented within 10 years and has already begun to be implemented," he said.

However, there are those who have been disappointed by the government freeze.

South Wales East MS Natasha Asghar said the decision would be "met with dismay by road users, businesses and local residents".

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She said that freezing potential projects - such as the Chepstow Bypass - was an attempt to "force everyone onto public transport" despite what she views as inadequate infrastructure.

Ms Asghar said: "I believe they should have created a strong public transport network before they made this announcement.”

“In rural areas there may not even be a network for people to use.”

“It is clear the Welsh Government has no plan to deal with the growing traffic on our roads and this announcement lets road users down.”