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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:59 pm on 18 June 2019.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 4:59, 18 June 2019

Thank you, Jenny Rathbone, for those comments and questions. As you say, and as I've stated in earlier answers, Cardiff council are required to submit a final plan to me by the end of this month as to how they are going to achieve the statutory nitrogen dioxide limit values in their area within the shortest possible time. And I will have this independent expert review panel, who I've asked to scrutinise evidence. I want that information as quickly as possible—I've said by the end of next month. At the moment, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the council plans at this stage.

You're quite right around vehicles. It is road traffic that does have such a massive impact, and we do need to encourage a shift. And going back to what you were saying about the school run, we need to encourage a shift from over-reliance, I think, on the private car, to much more sustainable modes of transport such as walking and cycling and public transport, and that's obviously a key element of our policy approach.

I mentioned in an earlier answer about active travel. We've put significant funding into that—£60 million over three years. And I'd be very interested—again, it's not within my portfolio, but I'd be very interested to see the monitoring that's being done around active travel and how local authorities are ensuring that it's safer for people to cycle and walk. And, again, within my own constituency, I've seen cycle paths that just finish—that's not acceptable, and we need to make sure that our monitoring is robust and that local authorities are coming forward with this form of—. Well, they're not a form of transport, but they're making it easier for people to put the car to one side. And I know more people use buses than rail, but I think it's important, the steps we're taking in relation to rail, and certainly Transport for Wales are investing in new, cleaner rolling stock, and also, obviously, we'll have the south Wales metro and the north Wales metro, which will hopefully be coming to fruition over the next few years.