A DRIVE through Chepstow “resembles the rush hour in Lagos or Mexico City”, an MP has told Parliament.

Monmouth MP David Davies made the claim during Welsh Questions in the House of Commons.

And he repeated his calls for local authorities, the Welsh Government and the Department for Transport to work together to deliver a bypass to alleviate the congestion “as soon as possible.”

There have been calls for the bypass since the 1980s owing to traffic jams and high pollution levels, with motorists saying the removal of the Severn Bridge tolls has made the situation even worse.

In the House last Wednesday (February 27), Conservative MP Mr Davies asked Welsh Office Minsiter Nigel Adams about what discussions he had held with the Welsh Government on plans to reduce journey times between Chepstow and Gloucestershire on the A48.

Mr Adams said: “We know that a bypass could improve journey times between Chepstow and Gloucestershire as well as reduce air pollution, and we look forward to working with the Welsh Government to deliver this vital piece of infrastructure.”

But Mr Davies said: “There are times when a drive through Chepstow resembles the rush hour in Lagos or Mexico City.

“Will Ministers therefore do everything that they can to encourage the local authorities in Gloucester, the Welsh Government and the Department for Transport to work with Monmouthshire council to deliver that bypass as soon as possible?”

Mr Adams replied: “There is no greater champion and voice for Chepstow than my Hon Friend.

“The Government are dedicated to improving transport infrastructure across Wales, for instance by providing a new relief road.

“We ?have abolished the tolls over the Severn, and I know from personal experience on Saturday that Chepstow could do with a bypass.”

With the Severn Bridge tolls consigned to history last December, thousands of new homes are now planned for the Chepstow and Lydney areas, fuelling fears of complete gridlock at busy times.

A transport study delivered in January for Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire county councils put forward a bypass – potentially costing more than £100m – as one possible solution to the bottlenecks.

Other proposals included a new M48 junction near the St Pierre golf resort and improved rail services, costing up to £15m each.

The report accepted that congestion was “hampering the future growth and development” of Chepstow, wider Monmouthshire and southwest Gloucestershire.

It predicted that with housing development and more people moving to the area following the removal of the tolls, traffic on the A48 would rise by 23 per cent in the short term.

A report last year also revealed that Chepstow had the worst air pollution in Gwent, mainly because of its heavy traffic, which was beyond World Health Organisation limits.