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Welsh government transport strategy 'to boost growth' | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A new transport plan will focus on tackling poverty and economic growth, says the Welsh government. | |
Transport Minister Carl Sargeant said the four-year plan for road, rail, air and public transport will boost access to jobs, healthcare and education. | |
It comes as budgets for infrastructure spending have been cut by up to 40% in the coming years, which could mean difficult decisions over some projects. | |
Projects include improving access between east and west Wales. | |
Before the announcement, Stuart Cole, professor of transport at the University of Glamorgan, had said he expected that focus on east-west links. | |
"People look to be able to get into Wales quickly and easily. Those east-west routes have to be the change in priority that this plan implies," he said. | "People look to be able to get into Wales quickly and easily. Those east-west routes have to be the change in priority that this plan implies," he said. |
"The original plan two years ago was very much aimed at the internal linkages. They are good objectives but when you are short of money and need to get jobs, then east-west becomes the priority." | "The original plan two years ago was very much aimed at the internal linkages. They are good objectives but when you are short of money and need to get jobs, then east-west becomes the priority." |
He said he expected the 40% cut in infrastructure expenditure to mean fewer big schemes. | He said he expected the 40% cut in infrastructure expenditure to mean fewer big schemes. |
"The Welsh government has said on a number of occasions recently that they don't have borrowing powers," he said. | "The Welsh government has said on a number of occasions recently that they don't have borrowing powers," he said. |
'No fancy schemes' | 'No fancy schemes' |
"If they had borrowing powers, I'm sure they would be looking at the new M4, the A465 in Hirwaun [near Aberdare], they would be looking at the problems with the A55 in north-east Wales and so on. | "If they had borrowing powers, I'm sure they would be looking at the new M4, the A465 in Hirwaun [near Aberdare], they would be looking at the problems with the A55 in north-east Wales and so on. |
"What they're having to do is look at low-cost ways of dealing with certain localised problems that, in total, do help the overall picture." | "What they're having to do is look at low-cost ways of dealing with certain localised problems that, in total, do help the overall picture." |
He said this could be encouraging people to use public transport or providing more park and ride schemes. | He said this could be encouraging people to use public transport or providing more park and ride schemes. |
Prior to the unveiling of the plan, Flintshire councillor Tony Sharps, who is chair of the north Wales transport board Taith, said he was not expecting any major schemes. | |
"I've been sitting on a working group meeting with Carl Sargeant. The one thing that has come through very clear is the budget is going to be a reduced budget so there's going to be no big shiny bridges and no fancy schemes," he said. | |
"It will be a no-frills budgets with no-frills improvements. This is the reality of the time we're living in. | "It will be a no-frills budgets with no-frills improvements. This is the reality of the time we're living in. |
"Whatever Mr Sargeant announces today we will not be happy with, but at the end of the day we've got to work with him to get these improvements going, be they large or small." | "Whatever Mr Sargeant announces today we will not be happy with, but at the end of the day we've got to work with him to get these improvements going, be they large or small." |
He said if there was one improvement he would choose it would be at Queensferry in Flintshire to "create better links with our colleagues over the English border". | He said if there was one improvement he would choose it would be at Queensferry in Flintshire to "create better links with our colleagues over the English border". |
This is the second national transport plan for Wales. | |
The previous plan supported "renewal of our economy, a more inclusive society and helps us tackle climate change", former Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said at the time. | The previous plan supported "renewal of our economy, a more inclusive society and helps us tackle climate change", former Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said at the time. |