How has the Heads of the Valleys road helped communities?
The Bevan Foundation and the Taxpayers Alliance have come to radically different conclusions on the project.
Work concluded in May this year, at an official cost of £1.4bn.
The road's dualling of the A465 section was conducted by Welsh Government and cost some £500 million.
The complex project ran over budget.
The ambitious sections between Gilwern and Brynmawr, running through the deep Clydach Gorge, delayed the project by three years and inflated costs by nearly£150 million.
Welsh Think tank The Bevan Foundation, attempting to make sense of the Welsh Government's brake on road building and squaring it with the costs of the mega-investment, concluded the road means yet more investment across the whole area, which is essential to upskill the population and drive growth.
In its report, the foundation concluded that much of the poor land and poor built environment needed upgrading, training and skills needs to be led by the Welsh Government and local authorities.
By just building a road that has few users in a deindustrialised area, the whole region could be stuck in what economists call the Middle-Income Trap, where countries just reassemble complex goods and add little value and create few high-skilled jobs.
Meanwhile, the Taxpayers' Alliance questioned the Welsh Government's whole 'muddled' approach to transport and development.
Thay argue it isn't even whether the road cost £1.4 billion or £2 billion, due to a 'dissembling bureaucracy.'
They warn Wales needs to learn lessons or it will become saddled with a series of 'sunk cost fallacies.'
A spokesman for the group said: "While Welsh taxpayers will be relieved to see roadworks finally completed, they will be aghast at enormous costs and absurd time it has taken to get the project over the line.'
Mocking the outcome of a 50mph road after 23 years and a fortune spent, the group said: "Twenty three years and billions spent - upgrading a single stretch of road while essential infrastructure maintenance in other parts of Wales has been ignored!
"Ministers in Cardiff need to get their act together and ensure that future projects are kept on time and within budget!"
Welsh Government was approached for a comment. They said they will unveil their vision for development of the area surrounding the road network on Thursday, June 12.
The Bevan Foundation's report is called A Route to Prosperity.
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Many people on PIP says they will be pushed into poverty if their support is withdrawn (Image: Mark Lewis ) DPAC Cymru members have also expressed their discontent at some of the language used by Labour leaders, and have alleged that they have received 'copy paste' replies from their MPs when they have sought a meeting regarding the proposed changes. 'MPs would be telling us, 'don't worry, take part in the consultation'. The consultation was always going to be unfair, but, the bill is in parliament before the consultation has even ended. The consultation isn't enough,' Ben said. 'So there's got to be that leadership from MPs who're supposed to be representing us. Also, in particular, we just need clear answers from them and not copy and paste responses.' He added: 'A lot of Labour MPs and ministers have been able to go on the news and say quite offensive things like Rachael Reeves comparing disability benefits to children's pocket money. 'She never actually apologised. The news headline said she apologised, but she didn't. And I think disabled people should be able to have a right of reply and should be able to argue.' Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones had been criticised for drawing up an analogy between the disability benefits and children's pocket money, for which he had later apologised. When asked about the chief Secretary's comments by LBC, Chancellor Rachel Reeves had said: "My children and the chief secretary's children are too young, but if you have a 16-year-old and you say, 'Do you know what I'm not going to give you so much pocket money. I want you to go out to work'. "And then the OBR [Office for Budget Responsibility] does an impact assessment and says your child is going to be worse off - well, they're going to be worse off if they don't go and get themselves a Saturday job. "But if they do go and get themselves a Saturday job, they'll probably be better off and they probably might enjoy it as well. 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A placard held at the DPAC Cymru protest in May, accusing Mr Bell of avoiding the campaign group (Image: Shaurya Shaurya ) Ben from DPAC Cymru said: 'On the day of the spring statement when we had our protest in Swansea, and there were like dozens and dozens of comments from disabled people. 'Because the spring statement, all the focus was on the disability cuts. So it was taken very badly by lots of disabled people on the day." 'Then later he used the word burden in the context of carers, which disabled people are quite sensitive about that word,' Ben said. 'It's one that most guidelines about language say you shouldn't really use that word, so that was one we pointed out to him. Without acknowledging it, when the media asked questions about it, he deleted that many called us liars.' Ben said: 'I just think there's no need. He's using this language all the time... 'Recently, just about a week ago, he made a video and he attacked what he called garbage meme muppets and recently as well, he was talking to pension economists and he called them cheap and lazy. He's accused us of saying things that are disgracefully untrue, spreading falsehoods, liars.' The Facebook post by MP Torsten Bell where DPAC member says the word 'burden' was used in context of carers for disabled people (Image: Facebook Screengrab Torsten Bell MP ) The Swansea West Labour Party post, where DPAC say they were called "keyboard warriors" (Image: Facebook Screengrab Swansea West Labour Party ) The spokesperson for Mr Bell added: 'The proposed changes to disability and incapacity benefits need to be discussed in a manner reflecting the complexity and sensitivity of the issue. Torsten will continue to do that with constituents and always encourages people to get in touch. 'Torsten has categorically never used this language to describe disabled people. These quotes are made-up, using language that was never used in the context of this issue, but will cause real distress to some extremely vulnerable people.' As of now, and according to figures released by Liberal Democrats post their written parliamentary question, 90.19% of PIP claimants recieiving the standard rate in Mr Bell's constituency, Swansea West scored less than four points in daily living activities, meaning they are at risk of losing support. 'It'll [proposed bill] push people away from work. They've mentioned the so-called support that's going to help people. They haven't said what that will be yet,' Ben said. 'They're cutting support before they've even told us what they're going to help people with.' He added: 'I don't think it'll even save money. You know it's supposed to be about cuts, about saving money for taxpayer. I don't think it will even do that. A lot of government departments and a lot of economists have warned it's not going to save the money they think it will. 'All I think it's about is, it's quite cynical, I think they think it is about votes, it is about electoral strategy from the Labour Party.' Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has said: 'Our social security system is at a crossroads. Unless we reform it, more people will be denied opportunities, and it may not be there for those who need it. 'This legislation represents a new social contract and marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity. 'This will give people peace of mind, while also fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot - putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.' Phil Coleman says he'll be pushed into poverty with the new disability reforms (Image: Shaurya Shaurya ) Phil Coleman, 58, from Pontardawe, who once thrived as a maintenance technician at Swansea's National Waterfront Museum is now grappling with the debilitating effects of long-Covid, unable to continue his work. Now reliant on benefits and his life savings for income, he told WalesOnline during the DPAC postest in Swansea against the proposed reforms in May this year: "I've got long Covid, and I got long Covid three years ago. Before that, I was a very fit, healthy person, and I've paid tax and national insurance for 40 years. "So I feel I've already paid into the system. So I think it's absolutely atrocious now that the benefits of some of the most vulnerable people in society are being cut." He emphasised the difficulty he faces if his financial support is slashed further. Phil outlined: "I'm on a benefit, I'm on employment support allowance, which is not a lot of money. It's great and I'm lucky that I've got savings because I've worked for 40 years and I am actually using my savings because the benefit is not enough to live on. It's as simple as that. It [reduction in benefits] will plunge me into poverty, basically." Addressing his bleak retirement prospects, he shared: "I'm 10 years off retiring. I've been denied early retirement on grounds of ill health because at the moment I've been told, 'Well, you've got long Covid, you could get better.' "I also have a heart problem that was caused by long Covid. So I can't retire early. If likely I lose my benefit... that's my only income at the moment." You can read more about the experiences of those on PIP at risk of losing support by clicking here. Article continues below
