UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps has admitted “administrations in Cardiff and possibly London” turned their back on improving the A55 “for far too long”.

On a flying visit to Rhyl on Tuesday he also said he would work with a Welsh Labour Government on promised road and rail enhancements – if they retained power after May 6

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service he plugged the UK Government’s £20m “report” into transport links called the “Union Connectivity Review”, in which he claimed North Wales plays a “key part”.

It’s part of a £2bn pledge to “create modern infrastructure for Wales”, which would include an upgraded A55 with 20,000 electric vehicle charging points and improved rail links with Liverpool and Manchester airports.

Mr Shapps, speaking outside Rhyl’s railway station with Vale of Clwyd MP James Davies and the Conservative party’s Senedd hopeful Gareth Davies, said it was vital to get more Tory “representation” in Cardiff to push through the changes.

However he pledged to work with whatever government is in power after May 6, to enhance transport infrastructure in the North.

He said: “We’ll come forward with a report by next February which will look at if there can be an outline business case to upgrade it.

“The long and the short of it is we think there’s no reason why North Wales and the north-west (of England) shouldn’t deserve great links.

“If this was in the south-east or London I’m sure that road would have already been upgraded.

“We won’t turn our back on it as I think administrations have in Cardiff, and possibly in London, for far too long.”

Mr Shapps sidestepped questions about the Anglesey stretch of the A55 which is managed privately, after being funded by private finance initiative, and the fact sections of it were constructed using EU cash.

He said he couldn’t say why there had been a delay in UK Government involvement in upgrading infrastructure but said Prime Minister Boris Johnson and himself had made it clear since 2019 they wanted to “level up” the UK.

He added the actual policy announcement wasn’t new, having been floated several months ago.

The Minister said a North Wales Metro, integrated with public transport would make it “easier for people to go to work, do business and socialise”.

Asked whether a spur of HS2 rail link could be built as a freight route to the proposed Freeport in Holyhead, he claimed the new line would benefit North Wales by around £50m anyway.

He added: “The opportunity of Holyhead being a freeport and bringing that infrastructure together, I think gives a fantastic opportunity to North Wales.

“I don’t think it’s an either or. I don’t think you build HS2 or improve the infrastructure in the country, I think we have to do both of these things to link the country together.”

Asked if the UK Government would still push ahead with these plans if a Labour Government was in power, Mr Shapps said he has always worked very closely with whoever is in the devolved administrations, including the current Welsh Government.

He said: “Let me answer you absolutely straight – we will work with whoever is elected to whichever Assembly, Parliament or anything else.

“That’s what we do in Scotland, that’s what we do in Northern Ireland where none of the mainline parties have representation – of course we will.”