Wales commits £1.5m to kickstart Wrexham Western Gateway
Design development and environmental assessment work for a grade-separated junction to the south of A483 Junction 4 is due to commence imminently, now that the Welsh Government has said it will financially support the scheme over the next 18 months.
Draft orders for the junction will be issued in spring 2027, according to First Minister Eluned Morgan. The grade-separated junction will help traffic flow more efficiently when it is complete, as vehicles travelling in different directions will have their lanes at different heights so do not need to stop.
The First Minister also said the Welsh Government would support an technical study to enhance efficiency around Junction 5.
“I remain committed to advancing this package at pace and ensuring that the transport infrastructure supporting the Wrexham Western Gateway is delivered as quickly as practicably achievable — positioning Wrexham and the wider North Wales region for sustained economic growth,” Morgan said.
Wrexham Western Gateway is more than just a junction improvement. Wrexham County Council will engage in feasibility and design work in 2026/2027 for a priority cycle route between Wrexham General Station and Western Gateway, Morgan said.
Bus services will also be put under the microscope, with the county council, government, Transport for Wales, and Ambition North Wales seeking to improve the number of services.
A public consultation on the scheme is expected to take place later this year.
Congestion around the A483 has been contentious for years, with a Wrexham A483 Bypass having been floated years before. The scheme had a budget of more than £50m, but was pulled in 2023 as part of the government’s Roads Review panel.
A huge part of the problem is that they keep sprawling housing against the A483 and roads that feed onto it with no public transport provision, which forces more traffic onto it, which causes congestion. Similar thing is happening to the A55 around Chester – as more houses with no rail/bus links are sprawl around the junctions, the more it becomes just another ‘local road’.
By John Smith