THE eagerly-awaited announcement on whether or not there will be an M4 relief road has been delayed.

The Argus exclusively revealed that Wales transport minister Sue Essex was to make a decision before Christmas - but she has now had to put that off until next year. The reason is that the announcement can't be made until the publication of the trunk road spending programme.

Despite strong lobbying in favour of the relief road, it seems increasingly likely it will not be built.

Earlier this month Wales First Minister Rhodri Morgan suggested that the costs of the road, both financial and environmental, were too great.

In response to a question from Newport West AM Rosemary Butler, he said: "The M4 Relief road is a complex issue because the expenditure of money is so colossal and the environmental controversy regarding the route is so huge.

"We would want to explore some other forms of traffic alleviation." Officials declined to be drawn on a firm date for an announcement on the relief road, but it is likely to be one of the first major decisions of 2002.

However, if the minister finds cause to look again at the trunk road programme that would further delay the M4 announcement.

Newport Assembly Mem-bers John Griffiths (Newport East) and Rosemary Butler have been keeping up pressure on the government to build the 15-mile, £340 million road M4 relief road from Magor to Castleton, avoiding the Brynglas tunnels, which funnel traffic into two lanes and cause frequent tailbacks on the M4.

Newport East MP Alan Howarth has even urged the minister to redirect the road through the site of the Llanwern steelworks to minimise its environmental impact. Officials say that the trunk road programme will be top priority for Ms Essex after Christmas, and the M4 announcement is intertwined with that.