North Wales MS questions diluted transport powers

Concerns have been raised that Welsh Government commitments to devolve transport decision-making powers to North Wales have been weakened.

Welsh Conservative MS for the Region, Mark Isherwood, has challenged Transport Secretary Ken Skates MS on the matter, questioning whether the government is fully delivering on promises made last year.

In 2023, Mr Skates advocated for devolving key transport decisions to the region, including potential funding for North Wales Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs).

However, following a recent statement by the Transport Secretary, Mr Isherwood fears that the regionalism originally proposed by the North Wales Economic Ambition Board will not be fully realised.

During a session in the Senedd, Mr Isherwood referenced the board’s ‘Growth Vision for North Wales Draft Proposition Document’, which called for the creation of a Regional Transport Body and additional powers to develop integrated transport networks.

He pressed the Cabinet Secretary on how the government’s current approach aligns with this vision, highlighting previous assurances about funding and decision-making devolution.

Responding to the challenge, Mr Skates stated that the government is following through on its commitments. “We are actually doing what I said we should commence in my first innings, which is to devolve the financial resource and the decision-making to the region – to the Corporate Joint Committee, but it may be that funding goes direct to local authorities. It’s for the CJCs to determine how the funding is allocated against their agreed Regional Transport Plans,” he said.

Despite this assurance, Mr Isherwood remains sceptical. Speaking after the meeting, he said: “The North Wales Economic Ambition Board’s ‘Growth Vision for North Wales Draft Proposition Document’ stated ‘new powers and responsibilities are sought (for North Wales) to facilitate growth in key policy areas such as transport and employment’. Speaking in the Senedd on this seven years ago, I said this would require the Labour Government in Cardiff to loosen its grip. All these years on, it appears this is something they are struggling to do.”