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Petition Number: P-06-1419 Petition title: Revoke Wales' National Transport Delivery Plan 2022 to 2027 Text of petition: The recent imposition of the 20mph and subsequent public outcry in Wales has highlighted to the masses the ineptitude of the Welsh Government's Transport Plan. The plan itself sets out to substantially abolish personal vehicular transport for the majority of people in Wales with no true reasoning as to why. The plan is an unreal, damaging proposal, a blatant attack on the Welsh people and Wales as a country. It is SO deliberately damaging to Wales that it could and should be treated as treason against Wales by all those involved in its creation. As of 12:25 Sunday 24th Sept 414,077 people have signed an online petition against one aspect alone of the plan, 20mph zones. |
Llwybr Newydd: the Wales Transport Strategy (WTS), was published in 2021. It’s intended to set out a strategy for the next 20 years. The strategy is a statutory document, and the Welsh Government is required to keep it under review.
The National Transport Delivery Plan (NTDP) 2022-2027 is a non-statutory document which sets out the “programmes, projects and policies” by which the Welsh Government intends to implement the Wales Transport Strategy.
The Welsh Government consulted on a new NTDP in 2022. Subsequently, the Welsh Government’s Roads Review Panel published its report, The Future of Road Investment in Wales, in February 2023. The report proposed a set of “purposes” and “conditions” under which the Welsh Government would invest in roads. These focused on support for modal shift, climate adaptation, road safety and supporting prosperity.
The Welsh Government broadly accepted the review recommendations. A new Roads Policy Statement was published, which the then Deputy Minister for Climate Change said “will apply to all schemes, and obviously it'll be a material consideration in the event of any planning dispute.” The NTDP was also published as part of the response to the panel’s report setting out the road schemes which can be taken forward.
The NTDP, like the Wales Transport Strategy and Planning Policy Wales, embeds the sustainable transport hierarchy – which gives priority to walking and cycling, public transport and ultra-low emissions vehicles (in that order) over other private motor vehicles.
The petitioner refers to the implementation of the 20mph policy on restricted roads. Following significant public reaction to the policy, on 24 January the then Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters MS, announced a review of the approach to exceptions to the policy where 30mph would remain in force.
Since then, there has been a change in First Minister, and Transport Minister. In setting out his priorities for transport in the Senedd on 23 April, the new Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport, Ken Skates MS, said that while the Welsh Government “continues to believe that 20 mph is the right speed limit in places such as near schools, hospitals, nurseries, community centres, play areas and in built-up residential areas” it is “pressing ahead with refining the policy”. He announced a “genuine programme of listening to people” on transport policy.
The Welsh Government published 2023 data on police recorded road collisions on 6 June, including data for quarter 4 2023 (October to December) when 20mph was introduced. This shows that casualties in 20mph and 30mph limit areas reduced by 32% from 681 to 463 in quarter 4 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. The Cabinet Secretary explained this is “the lowest on record outside the Covid pandemic period”.
In his letter to the Chair, the Cabinet Secretary outlines the review process for 20mph. He also draws attention to his listening approach, stressing this isn’t limited to work on speed limits and includes wider transport issues.
There has been extensive discussion of the Welsh Government’s policy on 20mph limits and the roads review.
On the NTDP specifically, responding to the then Deputy Minister for Climate Change’s February 2023 statement on the roads review and publication of the NTDP, Natasha Ashgar MS, criticised the roads review report and questioned a number of aspects of the new NTDP including its commitment to social justice, progress on plans for roll-out of electric vehicles and home working.
On 8 March 2023, the then Minister for Economy, and now First Minister, Vaughan Gething MS, responded to a question from Sam Rowlands MS on the impact of the 20mph policy on the Welsh Economy by saying:
I have regular meetings and conversations with the Minister for Climate Change. 'Llwybr Newydd', our national transport delivery plan, sets out a vision for a transport system that is good for society, the environment and the economy. That will further help to support economic well-being through thriving towns, cities and villages.
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