Plaid pledges “20-minute neighbourhoods” with access for all to green spaces

Plaid Cymru Senedd Election candidate for Pontypridd and South Wales Central., Councillor Heledd Fychan has today set out her party’s vision to create ’20-minute neighbourhoods’ in all towns and cities.

This would mean providing convenient, safe, pedestrian access to the places people need to visit and the services they use nearly every day, including public transport, shops, schools, parks, and social activities.

Heledd Fychan said that a Plaid Cymru government would work to ensure the provision of a good quality green space within a five-minute walk of all households in Wales:

“Throughout the last year of lockdowns, many people have been doing far more walking, cycling and running in their local parks but not everyone is fortunate enough to have green spaces on their doorstep.

“Figures show that at the start of the pandemic, around 133,000 Welsh households did not have access to a private outdoor space.

“The average distance people live from a public park or garden is 432 metres. A Plaid government would want to cut this to around 370 metres – no more than a five-minute walk – ensuring the provision of a good quality green space within reach of all households.

“It is an idea already supported by the Future Generations Commissioner who says that access to green space shouldn’t be a postcode lottery but “a right for everyone.”

“This would form part of a Plaid Cymru government’s wider vision to create 20-minute neighbourhoods in all towns and cities providing convenient, safe, pedestrian access to the places people need to go and the services they use nearly every day.

“These include public transport, shops, schools, parks and social activities, and would explore the potential for longer-distance cycleways along road networks from regional centres with significant commuter traffic such as Aberystwyth, Bangor, Merthyr and Pontypridd.”