4. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport: Llwybr Newydd — A New Wales Transport Strategy

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:20 pm on 17 November 2020.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Lee Waters Lee Waters Labour 4:20, 17 November 2020

Thank you. There was a significant number of questions there. I'll do my best to try and answer them as quickly as I can. In terms of timescales, this is a 20-year vision but it sets out five-year priorities, and then the detailed delivery of that will be delivered through a national delivery plan, supported by regional transport plans, which will be developed by the joint transport committees. So, as I say, the important part of today is setting out—pardon the pun—the direction of travel, and, to weave in your penultimate question, the National Infrastructure Commission has been heavily involved in our consultation with officials to get us to this point, as, indeed, many others have. And the whole point now of the 10-week consultation is to go into a richer conversation to inform the final document that we publish before the end of this term.

There are in fact, for the first time, within the strategy, mini plans for different modes of transport, so the questions that Russell George asks about freight and air travel are indeed covered by discrete mini plans within the strategy that have bespoke approaches to each of those. The question of electric car infrastructure is important and is covered within the overall vision. That's not just the role of the Government to do that; the Government doesn't provide petrol stations and nor should we be expected to provide all the infrastructure. I think, as always, we should look at where we can step in where the market may not act and put our support in where it can have greatest effect.

The point on rural areas and people with disabilities is a point well made, and, in fact, a point reflected in the strategy. In fact, priority 4 makes just the point that many people, including those in rural areas and disabled people, may not have the options that others have. But the premise of this strategy is that we have to do things differently than the way we have been doing things. Even in rural areas, a large number of journeys are within towns and to towns, and there is much that can be done there. We only have to look at our European neighbours to know they too have rural areas and yet have a significantly different approach to sustainable transport than we do. So, it can be done. The way is there; I think the question that remains is whether the will is there across the Chamber. 

And on his final point on the road network as arteries of trade, as he calls it—of course, and maintaining our road infrastructure and adapting it to the challenges of climate change. We saw, at the beginning of this year, the impact flooding has on road and rail infrastructure, and it's crucial that we invest more than we have been on maintaining our road network, precisely for the reason Russell George sets out. But getting congestion off the roads, getting unnecessary car journeys off the roads frees up the road network for those necessary journeys where there aren't alternatives.