22/10/2026
Transport for Wales refuses to answer 15 questions on Old Green roundabout removal in Newport
Transport for Wales has been heavily criticised for refusing to answer 15 basic questions on the controversial plans to remove the Old Green roundabout.
One key question asked when the construction work was likely to start?
Another crucial question asked if any business impact assessment had been undertaken?
Furthermore, another question asked how many traffic signals will be installed on the new Old Green junction and surrounding area?
How often will the traffic lights change? Has there been a traffic impact assessment conducted?
These are basic questions.
⚫️ OPPOSITION
Opposition to the planned changes to the Old Green roundabout and the Queensway has been strong.
2,300 completed a 2023 public consultation, with many opposing the changes.
A petition against the changes presently has 1,940 signatures, although the petition was formally submitted in December 2025.
Petition: No change to the Old Green roundabout in Newport
https://www.change.org/p/no-change-to-the-old-green-roundabout
⚫️ 15 KEY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED
The 15 FOI questions Transport for Wales refused to answer:-
1. What is the latest overall estimated financial cost associated with the Old Green and Queensway reconfiguration project?
2. When is construction work expected to commence on the Old Green and Queensway reconfiguration project? If no start date has been confirmed, then can you provide a rough estimate of when?
3. How long is the construction work expected to last for before the completion of the Old Green and Queensway reconfiguration?
*Questions 4 to 6 were answered
7. Can you confirm how many traffic signals in total will be in place on the new Old Green junction and the surrounding area - just off the junction - such as on the Kingsway near the Riverfront Theatre and Bus Station.
8. This question relates to separate traffic lights for public transit vehicles - commonly referred to as Transit Priority Signals (TPS) or Bus Priority Signals.
9. Following completion of the Old Green and Queensway reconfiguration, will there be ‘Bus Priority Signals’ running alongside normal traffic light signal for regular vehicles?
10. Following completion of the Old Green and Queensway reconfiguration, how often will each set of traffic lights change in terms of frequency in respect of number of minutes wait-time for regular vehicles (excluding public transit vehicles).
11. Following questions four to eight, has a traffic impact assessment been undertaken on whether the new Old Green reconfiguration will increase the traffic congestion of normal vehicles queuing to pass across the junction (excluding public transit vehicles) - especially
during the rush hours. If so, what was the result?
12. How long is the construction work expected to last for before the completion of the Old Green and Queensway reconfiguration?
13. The construction work to reconfigure the Old Green and Queensway areas will be extensive covering a considerable length of time.
14. Has a business impact assessment been undertaken on how the construction work to reconfigure the Old Green and Queensway areas may impact on local businesses in the city centre.
15. Have the results of any business impact assessment been shared with Newport City Council or the Newport BID (Business Improvement District) which represents city centre businesses.
16. In respect of communication with Newport City Council, has the local authority or council raised any objections or concerns regarding the reconfigure the Old Green and Queensway areas?
17. Following communication with Newport City Council, does the local authority or council now support the reconfigure the Old Green and Queensway areas?
18. Has any representative from Transport for Wales (TfW) met with Newport’s Council leader Cllr Dimitri Batrouni or the council’s cabinet member for Infrastructure Cllr Rhian Howells - to discuss the logistics of the construction and plans? If so, when?
⚫️ WHAT TRANSPORT FOR WALES SAID
Transport for Wales (TfW) has said:-
“TfW are working with Newport City Council to use the feedback received during the public consultation to further develop the proposals, before announcing how the proposals may progress further.”
TfC quoted “EIR Regulation 12(4)(d) - material which is still in the course of completion, unfinished documents, or incomplete data.”
TfW then provided a long-winded reply on how the release of unfinished data could be “misleading to the public or inaccurate”.
They also cited a “public interest test”.
In conclusion, TfW said:-
“Having considered the balance of public interest, we have concluded that the public interest in withholding outweighs the public interest in disclosing certain information at this time.”
⚫️ CRITICISM
Michael Enea, the lead campaigner against changes changes to Old Green roundabout has said
“15 basic questions unanswered is shocking.
Some of the questions unanswered are already in the public domain. For example, a previous FOI revealed the overall project is estimated to be £40.4 million. Newport Council have also previously said there are likely to be seven sets of traffic lights.
I’ve always said that the number of traffic lights, priority bus signals, and any traffic impact survey should’ve been included the original public consultation (survey) run in April 2023.
If the public had received a clear oversight of the full facts at hand in 2023, I’m sure the changes would’ve been kicked into the long grass. We still don’t know now three years later.
To me, it seems the proposals were written on the back of a fag packet with only basic information and unrealistic graphics released into the public consultation. The whole thing stinks.
Newport Conservative Councillor David Fouweather has also criticised Transport for Wales:-
“The fact Transport for Wales is still working on the project three years on is concerning. These half baked plans will gridlock the city centre. We need openness and transparency, not an organisation hiding behind environmental regulations.”
