With the arrival of spring and the easing of lockdown restrictions, the biggest event this season is yet to come: the 2021 Senedd Election on Thursday 6 May.
Earlier this year we published our Manifesto: Tomorrow’s Wales, for Everyone.
Over the past few weeks, the different parties represented in the upcoming elections released their own manifestos, setting out their pledges for the next Senedd term.
Below is a summary of the most relevant points of each manifesto in relation to Active Travel and Sustrans’ broader work.
These are excerpts from the original documents and the links to the full manifestos are accessible at the end of each section.
Welsh Labour has pledged to:
- Implement the new Wales Transport Strategy to develop a high quality, sustainable and affordable public transport system with a target of 45% of journeys by sustainable modes by 2040.
- Take forward the Burns Commission report for Newport (this is the set of proposals to provide an alternative to the M4 relief road).
- Work with Transport for Wales and local authorities to strengthen the promotion of walking and cycling as we make Wales an active travel nation.
- Make 20mph the default speed limit in residential areas and ban pavement parking wherever possible.
- Make our Welsh public transport system more accessible to disabled people, in line with our commitment to the social model of disability.
- Set the highest international standards of air quality into law in a Clean Air Act for Wales, consistent with World Health Organisation guidance.
Read Labour’s full manifesto.
The Welsh Conservatives have pledged to:
- Level-up and join-up public transport in North Wales, delivering a North Wales Metro which integrates public transport with active travel.
- Provide free school transport to pupils attending their nearest Welsh-medium secondary school and review free transport to their nearest faith school.
- Promote healthy lifestyles in schools by investing in more active travel options for walking and cycling.
- Introduce a Clean Air Act to tackle pollution and reduce the incidence of respiratory diseases.
Read the Conservatives’ full manifesto.
Plaid Cymru has pledged to:
- Encourage walking and cycling with a specific focus on access for disabled groups through better pavements, dropped curbs, public toilets and benches and improving public access to amenities such as parks, and public transport of buses and railways.
- Undertake a transformative investment in public transport and active travel infrastructure, substantially reducing car usage to 50 per cent of all journeys by 2030, with 30 per cent using public transport, 10 per cent walking and 10 per cent cycling.
- Require local authorities to set ambitious targets for modal shift including substantially increasing the provision of cycle routes.
- Improve the mainline rail services in the south involving the building of six new stations between Severn Tunnel Junction and Cardiff (based on the recommendations of the Burns Commission report).
- Make 20mph the default speed limit in all built up areas and work towards creating 20-minute neighbourhoods in all our towns and cities.
- Introduce a Clean Air Act to establish clean air zones in towns and cities.
Read Plaid Cymru’s full manifesto.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have pledged to:
- Adopt the principles of a 20-minute neighbourhood in all planning and decision making.
- Make sure public transport works for everyone, including free transport for young people up to 25 and investing in active travel.
- Make it easier for people to leave their car at home by investing in reliable public transport and safer cycling and walking routes.
- Spend at least 10% of the transport budget on active travel, ensuring that local decision making prioritises safer and accessible walking and cycling, and provides support for people to be able to access active travel with confidence.
- Build on the success of the Burns Commission, which provided localised solutions to the challenges faced along the M4 Corridor, for other parts of Wales to identify sustainable, appropriate, and lasting transport solutions for communities.
- Pass a Clean Air Act in the first 100 days to tackle dirty air and the poor health outcomes it causes.
Read the Liberal Democrats’ full manifesto.
The Wales Green Party has pledged to:
- Create better, affordable, cleaner transport options for all including access to better walking, cycling and active travel options and affordable public transport.
- Deliver an integrated national transport strategy that will: reduce traffic and carbon emissions; improve health and well-being; improve air quality; and respond to the climate emergency.
- Reducing the need for private vehicle transport including better public transport, shared and on-demand mobility options, access to enjoyable walking, cycling/active travel routes and finding better ways of delivering goods.
- Developing varied and welcoming mixed-use neighbourhoods. Blending residential, commercial, cultural, institutional and entertainment activities within one area orientated around community and public transport hubs, resulting in reduced traffic and cleaner air.
- Redesign cities and urban areas with a future for children and young people especially in mind. Free accessible public transport, supports active travel. Children and youth have access to safe spaces with child-friendly safe spaces to play and gather together.
Read the full manifesto.
UKIP has pledged to:
- Support the plans for the electrification of the South Wales mainline to Swansea which was scrapped on the grounds of over-inflated costs.
- Review the Beeching Cuts and, where appropriate, reopen train stations and railway lines to improve travel across Wales.
Read the full manifesto.
We outline what we think the next Welsh government should prioritise to make a difference for the future generations of Wales.
