Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the 2022 South Wales Trunk Road Agent review finding on the M48 central safety barrier; and what steps her Department is taking to help reduce delays to safety repairs where a risk has been identified.

Whilst the 2022 review by South Wales Trunk Road Agent (SWTRA) into the M48 central safety barrier focuses on the Welsh section of the M48 only, safety remains the number one priority for the Department and National Highways across the strategic road network.

National Highways is monitored against a range of performance measures, including for asset maintenance, renewals and safety, and have ongoing work to improve safety across the strategic road network. National Highways also continue to engage regularly with SWTRA, Monmouthshire County Council and Welsh Government to discuss operational matters in and around the Severn Crossings.