Senedd: Transport Secretary accused of being ‘disingenuous’ over road charging

A petitioner accused Wales’ transport secretary of being disingenuous by suggesting the Welsh Government has no plans to bring in road charging.

Ken Skates maintained the Welsh Government had no plans to introduce schemes as he responded to a 10,183-signature Senedd petition against charging motorists.

But Dan Healey-Benson, the petitioner, warned the transport secretary is “being disingenuous” and “simply passing the buck to councils”.

He pointed out that road user charging is explicitly referred to in the Welsh Government’s 2022/27 transport plan in a section titled “What we will deliver – key priorities”.

And the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), the voice of Wales’ 22 councils, suggested road charging will be looked at more widely in future.

‘No plans’

Mr Skates told the petitions committee: “The Welsh Government has no plans to introduce user charging on the roads for which it is responsible, ie the strategic road network.

“The legislative framework for local road charging schemes in Wales is governed by the Transport Act 2000.

“Under this framework, any local charging scheme can only be implemented on roads for which the charging authority is also the traffic authority.

“This means that local authorities have the legal responsibility and control over the roads they choose to implement such schemes on.”

Mr Healey-Benson reiterated the petition’s calls for all further planning to cease as he sought clarity in light of seemingly conflicting statements in the transport strategy.

‘Opportunities’

Andrew Morgan, leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf council and the WLGA, told the committee only one of Wales’ councils is currently considering road charging.

Cllr Morgan pointed to proposals in Cardiff, with a cabinet decision on road charging expected by the end of 2024.

He wrote: “Although there may currently be only one council in Wales actively investigating road user payment, the evidence suggests it will be looked at more widely in future.

“The viability of any scheme(s) will depend on local circumstances and so opportunities will vary across Wales.”

In 2023, the Senedd backed a clean air law that gives the Welsh Government powers to levy charges in pollution hotspots such as the M4 at Newport and A470 at Pontypridd.

At the time, Welsh ministers stressed the powers would be used as a last resort.

‘Dismissed’

During its meeting on September 30, the petitions committee resolved to close the petition despite it reaching the 10,000-name threshold to be considered for a Senedd debate.

The Conservatives’ Peter Fox told the committee the petition was launched amid concerns about “anti-motorist” policies in Wales, such as the default 20mph speed limit.

Pointing out that Newport council’s leader dismissed the prospect of a congestion scheme in the city, he said there are seven clean-air zones in England and four in Scotland.

Mr Fox raised the petitioners’ concerns that the Welsh Government is abdicating responsibility which will leave difficult decisions to councils.

Vaughan Gething, who recently joined the committee, said only a handful of councils in Wales will have the required scale and volume for road charging to be a real option.

The former first minister said: “I don’t think the government should require people to introduce road user charging, or actively prevent them.”

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter