The Future of Transport in Wales

Overview

Wales has reached a ‘crossroads’ and needs to decide which way to turn. Nearly seven years have passed since the Senedd passed the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013, which was designed to encourage people to leave their private cars at home and instead to walk or cycle when making short purposeful trips.

Two years later the Senedd passed the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act 2015, which set seven (social, economic, environmental and cultural) goals.  Then in 2018 the Welsh government published Planning Policy Guidance 10, which set out a sustainable transport hierarchy that gives priority to walking and cycling, public transport ultra-low emission vehicles and other motor vehicles (in that order). Some might say the UK government has recently seized the initiative with the publication of the Department for Transport’s ‘Gear Change’ a bold vision for cycling and walking and a proposed revision to the Highway Code.  But Wales has countered with the publication of a report on default 20 mph speed limits on restricted roads and very recently the South East Wales Transport Commission has published a report on its emerging findings, which points towards the provision of viable and attractive alternatives to the use of the M4 at Newport.