THE story of the M4 relief road began in May 1991 with the announcement of a new motorway for Gwent.

  • May 1991 Welsh secretary David Hunt announced that a new motorway will be built around Newport between Magor and Castleton.
  • June 1991: Gwent county council say work on road is expected to begin earlier than scheduled - in 2000.
  • June 1992: regional planners call on Welsh Office to speed plans and funding for new motorway through "environmentally sensitive" Gwent Levels.
  • June 1993: plans for the £300 million stretch unveiled and in the same month environmentalists express fears that Magor Reserve will be "swallowed up" by new motorway.
  • September 1993: Chancellor Kenneth Clarke said the scheme would be paid for by the public sector who will charge motorists using the road.
  • January 1994: formation of CALM, Campaign Against the Levels Motorways, an alliance of 27 organisations opposing road.
  • November 2001: a decision on whether or not to build road could be made by Christmas.
  • December 2001: revealed the announcement was being delayed until next year.
  • March 2002: transport minister Sue Essex shelved the plans.
  • November 2004: we exclusively revealed that the M4 relief road was back on track.
  • April 2006: new route unveiled, designed to reduce the impact on Gwent Levels but opponents said damage to environment would not be significantly reduced.
  • September 2007: Argus reported that public inquiry unlikely to take place until 2009 and Ieuan Wyn Jones gave possible opening date of 2013.
  • August 2008: Sewta (South East Wales Transport Alliance) push for construction to start sooner rather than later. Construction work expected to begin in 2010.
  • April 2009: Newport East AM John Griffiths believed budget cuts and recession will lead to relief road being shelved.
  • Yesterday: The scheme is finally axed.