One issue that constituents continue to raise with me time and time again is the issue of road connectivity across the constituency. 

 Whether you use public transport, bikes or cars, the future of our infrastructure is incredibly important.

 However, sadly, this is an area that has been overlooked by the Welsh Government for too long. 

 Residents across the south of Monmouthshire in particular have felt the impact of rising congestion as a direct result of the Welsh Government’s failure to build or improve the required infrastructure. 

 I’m sure we are all aware and have experienced these issues that have been exacerbated by the implementation of the default 20mph speed limits on roads that simply don’t need them. 

 This is particularly true in Chepstow which grinds to a halt almost every day as thousands of cars drive to and from the M4 via the A48 from East and West of the town.

 Not only is this gridlock a disruption to both businesses and commuters, but it also severely increases air pollution as a result of idling engines made worse on the A48 where stretches are now restricted to 20mph.

 Thanks to the Welsh Government’s freeze on road building and negative rhetoric surrounding transport infrastructure, any hope of a bypass for Chepstow has continued to be severely delayed but we live in hope as it’s not unusual to see congestion backing up halfway across the old Severn Bridge.

 This is just one example of how Labour’s policymaking has severely hampered travel in Wales. 

 Across the country there are plenty of examples of unfinished and scraped infrastructure projects that have been put on hold as a result of Labour’s road freeze, resulting in stunted growth for many businesses. 

 Clearly Labour’s approach to infrastructure in Wales just simply isn’t working. 

 While I agree that we need to encourage car-sharing and public transport, the simple fact is this is not practical in many rural communities and nor do we have the public transport infrastructure in place. 

 However, the new First Minister and Cabinet Secretary have a prime opportunity to change direction, one that I sincerely hope they take. 

 We must see the scrapped road schemes back on the table, allowing people and businesses to expand their horizons, boosting the economy and getting Wales moving again.