“Investing in active travel and green infrastructure should be to the benefit of our communities – not their detriment” – Plaid respond to Welsh Government plans to freeze new road building projects

Responding to the news that all new road-building projects in Wales are being frozen while the Welsh government conducts a review, Plaid Cymru Spokesperson for Climate Change and Transport Delyth Jewell MS said,

“As we look to recover from the pandemic, we have an opportunity to build a nation that will benefit future generations. Investing in active travel and green infrastructure is a key component of that Wales that we want to build.

“This move from the Welsh Government, whilst a welcome indication that they are serious about tackling carbon emissions, cannot mean that communities that are long overdue infrastructure investment are left behind. Communities like Llandeilo, who are understandably angry that this has been announced without consultation, have seen air pollution levels in their town centre rise to higher than the national standards and would benefit from the kind of infrastructure investment that has been promised but continuously delayed for the last six years.

“In 2016 the Labour Party agreed to deliver the Llandeilo bypass as part of a formal budget agreement with Plaid Cymru in a bid to tackle the air pollution in the town centre. This decision, coupled with their refusal to fund a cycle way between Llandeilo and Carmarthen, is questionable. 

“Plaid Cymru’s vision is of Wales as an interconnected community of communities, resilient, prosperous, healthy, and environmentally sound. Major public transport improvements should play a crucial role in any regeneration plans – connecting our disconnected regions and communities and maximising their economic potential. Beyond completing road projects already in the Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan Project pipeline, the aim should be for an integrated public transport system, with greater reliance on environmentally friendly modes of travel.