4. Statement by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs: Clean Air

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:52 pm on 18 June 2019.

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Photo of Vikki Howells Vikki Howells Labour 4:52, 18 June 2019

Thank you, Minister, for your statement today. This is such an important issue, especially when we all know the harm that air pollution causes. Like so many of the Valleys communities, my area is one where air was contaminated by heavy industry with the iconic Phurnacite smokeless fuel plant closing 30 years ago, but the legacy that that's left, particularly with respiratory conditions in the community, are still very much ongoing.

I've just got two questions for you today. The first is also around the 50 mph zones. There's one, as you will know, at Pontypridd and Upper Boat, which is just outside of my constituency, and I'd concur with the comments that you made there. I travel through that zone virtually every day and I feel like I'm the only one who's travelling at 50 mph, and there are definitely no signs there to explain why it is a 50 mph zone. I do think that local people would actually be much more supportive if they knew the reason for that, to the extent that I've actually had representations from constituents who live just north of that zone in my constituency, at Cilfynydd, who have asked me why the zone can't be extended to cover their area as well. They do know that that is about air quality emissions and they're particularly concerned because Pontypridd High School sits right next to the A470 there and there's a proposal to co-locate Cilfynydd Primary School onto the same site. I've had very strong representation from people there who would welcome the extension of the 50 mph zone to cover and protect the children in that area. So, I wonder what your thoughts are in regard to that.

And my final question is just to note the social justice angle here as well, which you alluded to in your statement. We know that deprivation, health inequalities and air pollution are so very closely linked, so I wonder what discussions you've been having with other ministerial colleagues about how we can tackle that.