Monmouthshire County Council has welcomed the recommendations of the South East Wales Transport Commission (Burns) Final Report and in particular the proposed improvements to rail and bus services as essential alternatives to the M4 Newport relief road.  The council also supports the quick win measures proposed for improving Active Travel and integrated ticketing, as well as the medium and longer term recommendations for upgrading the county’s stations and bus services.

The Council welcomes the proposal for a new bus-priority direct access off the M48 to  Severn Tunnel Junction, along with an upgrade of Chepstow station and a new station at Magor.  However it would also like consideration to be given to the wider potential benefits of the proposed M48 access for the Severnside area, for example by reducing traffic levels on the B4245. It would like to see a separate but concurrent transport study carried out for this area at the same time as the assessment and outline design of the new motorway junction.