MOTORISTS face more misery as the Labour Government in Cardiff Bay again is delaying reporting back on its Roads Review, which resulted in the suspension of roadbuilding in Wales since July last year.
Today, Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change in charge of Transport, released a statement saying Labour ministers will “reconsider our full response to the Roads Review”.
Despite an increase in global energy prices, the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, and Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine, Waters felt it appropriate to blame his delay on the UK Government for the current “fiscal and economic situation”.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Transport Minister Natasha Asghar MS said: “The way the Labour Government is going about their roadbuilding freeze is driving people mad.
“It is astonishing that Lee Waters thinks it is acceptable to put infrastructure projects that drive growth, business, and jobs in Wales on hold and then has the cheek to blame the UK Conservative Government who have long highlighted the folly of banning roadbuilding.
“We know that the current economic situation has been caused by an increase in global energy prices, the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, and Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine, so Labour should lay the blame there and accept that they are responsible that no roads have been built in over a year in Wales.
“Labour is on road to nowhere – it is time to put aside the dogma and build the roads Wales needs.”
Lee Waters told the Senedd earlier this year: “Since 1990, Welsh emissions have fallen by 31%. But to reach our statutory target of net zero emissions by 2050, we need to do much more. In the next 10 years, we are going to need to more than double all the cuts we have managed over the last 30 years, if we are going keep temperature rises within safe limits. That means changes in all parts of our lives.
“Transport makes up some 17% of our total emissions and so must play its part.
“We need a shift away from spending money on projects that encourage more people to drive and spend more money on maintaining our roads and investing in real alternatives that give people a meaningful choice.”
