MS, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales:
The four Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs) representing North
Wales, Mid Wales, South East Wales and South West Wales recently
submitted their Regional Transport Plans to Welsh
Government.
Regional Transport Plans set out policies for the implementation
by local transport authorities of Llwybr Newydd (the Wales
Transport Strategy) in each region of Wales and policies for the
promotion and encouragement of safe, integrated, efficient and
economic transport to, from and within the area. I have assessed
the plans and agree that they meet the requirement of being
consistent with Llwybr Newydd and that the policies in them are
adequate for implementation in the CJCs' respective areas. Each
plan contains a range of policies suitable to deliver an
accessible, sustainable and efficient transport system in each
region, in line with the Sustainable Transport Hierarchy. The
plans have been developed in line with the Wellbeing of Future
Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and each is accompanied by an
Integrated Wellbeing Assessment.
All four have now been approved and take effect from the day of
approval.
Regional Transport Plans will introduce a more strategic approach
to improving transport in each region of Wales, which is better
aligned with land-use planning. They will also form a basis for
local leaders to have a greater say in decisions about Welsh
Government transport funding.
This is a big step forward for greater collaboration across our
regions. To support the implementation of RTPs, we are
modernising our transport grants to Local Authorities and from
April 2026, we will combine several funding streams into a single
Regional Transport Fund to help deliver RTPs.
Local Authorities will now be able to come together to make
streamlined recommendations about how this future funding is
spent, based on their agreed delivery plan for each region. This
will ensure that the investment we make in transport is adapted
to the needs of each region and informed by those who know the
region best. It will also allow us to reduce the administrative
burdens local authorities face to access funding.
I know that the Local Authorities are already working together to
take these plans forward to delivery, in consultation with CJCs,
and I look forward to continuing to work in partnership with all
parties.
