7. Welsh Conservatives Debate: The roads review

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:13 pm on 8 March 2023.

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Photo of Janet Finch-Saunders Janet Finch-Saunders Conservative 5:13, 8 March 2023

I can say that I've read it—I'm not all the way through, I must admit, but I'm almost there.

Now then, I'd like to say, Minister—and I've raised it with the Deputy Minister—how disappointed I am to see much-needed projects not going ahead, and this was after £9 million on those roundabouts on the A55. For us in north Wales, once again, we just see ourselves being shortchanged. But I just want to ask you a question whilst I'm here, and try and get it onto the record. On the potential of the roundabout removal, in the report, page 22, it does mention that the aims of the Welsh Government are aligned with having those roundabouts there in terms of a sustainable transport hierarchy, and that they can be taken forward in fresh studies using the regional multimodal way of working. So perhaps you can just explain a little to me, because that particular project might not be dead and buried. 

Seven projects were marked as 'should not proceed', the most of any region in Wales. Four projects were marked as 'should not proceed bar some elements', and another four projects with 'insufficient information to review'. So, will you be coming back to those with 'insufficient information to review'? If they were there, they've obviously had some consideration prior to. Now, this is in addition to an enormous £21 million spent on roads under review in north Wales, which is by far the largest sum out of any Welsh region and, therefore, with the most to lose. That's an incredible amount money that, say, put into social care would bring dividends in better care for my elderly and vulnerable residents.

So, taking all of this together, it does appear that north Wales has got one of the worst deals. This is in a part of the country with a significant rural population who rely on good traffic links. Target conditions set out to seek 67 per cent of the Welsh road network to be in a good state of repair. And I've also noticed something else in the report. We talk about carbon emissions, and it quite clearly states that carbon emissions are higher under 35 mph, so I'm just a bit worried, really, as to how we're suddenly racing forward with this 20 mph to reduce carbon emissions. Someone, going forward on that, hasn't read their own report.

Wales has the lowest percentage of roads in a good state of repair; 57 per cent of the road network is described as 'good', compared with 63 per cent over the border, under a UK Conservative Government. The Welsh Labour Government, backed by Plaid Cymru, doesn't seem to have noticed that there's an electric vehicle revolution, and it's sweeping the world. Rather than try and embrace this technology, the Government makes empty promises about improving public transport. So, the Minister should explain ambitions to my constituents in Aberconwy—you know, you're talking about improving public transport and then take out a main arterial bus route, the T19, seeing students and pupils unable to actually attend their learning places.

As is proven in Aberconwy, the Welsh Government is simply failing to deliver the sustainable public transport system that you need to get in place before you even talk about some of the woolly and silly things that are being cooked up here in Cardiff Bay. So severe is your anti-car agenda that the future arrival of autonomous cars seems to have been completely overlooked, and it's fair to say that the Deputy Minister did not answer in committee, when I asked him, and the Chairman reminded me that I'd asked him three times, 'Have you considered autonomous cars, or driverless cars, in your review?' There was no evidence to suggest that they've even thought about it.

So, even though the Minister tries to claim that this doesn't mean the end of road building in Wales, the decision-making process now by this Welsh Labour Government is going to be anti-car and anti-roads. Businesses are worried. The Federation of Small Businesses has pointed out the reality for most small businesses is still a necessary dependence on road-based transport. The way to tackle climate change is not to impose the heaviest burdens on the poor, the vulnerable and our small-business owners.

Now then, I did raise this with the Counsel General: as you know, the future generations Act requires each public body to carry out sustainable development aimed at achieving the well-being goals. I'll remind people what they are: a prosperous Wales, a healthier Wales and a Wales of cohesive communities. The decision that 19 schemes should not proceed, such as the Flintshire corridor, the A55 junctions 15 and 16 and the third Menai crossing, will harm the prosperity, health and connectivity of communities right across Wales. So, I would be pleased, Minister, whether you could explain to me, because the Counsel General mentioned that this was more of a question for yourself, whether you may have breached your own well-being goals. Thank you.