SENIOR councillors have agreed to write to Welsh Government to understand how the ‘Black Route’ will affect Magor Services.

The letter will be sent on behalf of Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) seeking the impact the new route would have on the future of the services and the 190 people employed there.

A draft order for the Black Route was published by Welsh Government last Thursday (10th March).

The route, which is Welsh Government’s preferred option, would create a six-lane motorway running from the current Junction 23A Magor to Junction 29 at Castleton.

The £1 billion scheme plans to reclassify this stretch as a trunk road.

Last Thursday (10th March) Councillor Frances Taylor voiced her concerns over the position of Magor services. She submitted a motion to a full council meeting seeking answers from Welsh Government as to how Magor services would be impacted.

Councillor Taylor said: “I’m asking the council to write to Welsh Government so that we can clearly understand the impact on local people, particularly those employed at Magor services.

“The current black route plans do not provide direct access and egress to services which in the long term may have significant consequences for those who work there.

“The vast majority who work at the services are local people who do rely on that for their livelihood. It’s important to know exactly what the position is and ask Welsh Government if MCC can offer any changes or mitigation for those people.”

Leader of MCC Peter Fox, said: “I’d like to thank Councillor Taylor for bringing this important subject forward and I support the sentiments behind it.

“I have a meeting scheduled in April with the service station managers to discuss the issues to get a better flavour of how they feel.

“With the substantial amount of jobs at stake we need to understand the discussions going forward.”

It was agreed unanimously that MCC should write to Welsh Government.

In the draft order published by Welsh Government, it states: “The existing M4 motorway between Magor and Castleton does not meet modern motorway design standards and a greater volume of traffic uses it than for which it was originally designed.”