Andrew RT Davies mocked for ‘angry’ social media post about roads
Andrew RT Davies has been mocked for his latest “angry” social media post concerning the Welsh Government’s new road building policy.
The leader of the Welsh Conservatives posted a picture to Twitter on Monday (June 12) of himself standing beside an empty stretch of road in an area where he had previously campaigned to stop a new road being built.
The post read: “Labour’s barmy road building ban will be dreadful for congestion in Wales”.
In the photo, the leader of the opposition was wearing a high visibility vest bearing the Vale of Glamorgan Council logo standing beside Five Mile Lane (A4226) in the Vale of Glamorgan facing in the direction of the village of Pendoylan.
Labour’s barmy road building ban will be dreadful for congestion in Wales. pic.twitter.com/6nnMH4YFfz
— Andrew RT Davies (@AndrewRTDavies) June 12, 2023
“Unnecessary”
Mr Davies had previously campaigned against plans for a link road to be built in the area that would have passed through Pendoylan to improve access to Cardiff Airport.
In 2021, the leader of the opposition – who lives nearby in the Cowbridge area – described the new road build as “unnecessary” and welcomed the news that the Welsh Government had scrapped plans for the airport link road.
Further questions were raised about the social media post which showed Mr Davies wearing attire bearing the Vale of Glamorgan Council logo when he is no longer a member of the council.
Reacting to the social media post, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters said: “This is priceless – angry man complains about congestion on an empty road, rails against a ban that doesn’t exist, and gets called out for wearing a hi-vis vest that doesn’t belong to him. Now that’s leadership.”
The leader of Vale of Glamorgan Council, Lis Burnett replied to the leader of the Welsh Conservatives via Twitter saying: “Please return the Vale council hi-vis vest to the Civic Offices asap.”
Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, Andrew Morgan also replied: “This a recent photo? Was just asking as you are wearing a High Viz jacket with the Vale of Glamorgan council on.
“As you are not an elected member of that council any more and not a council officer I hope you’re not impersonating as a representative of the council??”
Criteria
In February, the Welsh Government announced any new road builds in Wales must pass a strict set of criteria that ensures they do not increase carbon emissions, increase the number of cars on the road or lead to higher speeds and higher emissions, and they do not negatively impact the environment.
Lee Waters also retweeted the post by the leader of the opposition and wrote: “We are not banning road building. We are not banning road building. We are not banning road building. And he knows it.”
Replying to questions from Twitter users about the new road building criteria, Mr Waters said: “Nowhere does it say we won’t build roads in the future. What it does say is that we will raise the bar for when new roads are seen as the solution to the transport problems.”
Nation.Cymru contacted Andrew RT Davies for comment but he did not respond.
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I’ll hold my hand up and say I was initially duped by the Tories over their claims the Welsh government was banning any new road building in Wales, I hadn’t done my research, looked into it further. But it shows how we can all easily be taken in by the crap out there – look at Brexit, for instance. When we read something it is always best to find further evidence for what you are reading elsewhere too, especially in this day and age with social media and lying Tories!
Welsh Conservative clown Andrew RT Davies is an ongoing joke. It’s far from me to defend the Welsh Government’s road building record. I’m as critical as anyone seeing our lame FM Mark Drakeford has basically given up on a North/South rail link due to our so-called terrain. Too hilly see. But a question Andrew? Where’s the new M4 relief road promised by your corrupt Anglocentric Tory masters in London eh? Fool! Remember when that lump of lard Boris Johnson criticised the scrapping of the £1.4 billion M4 relief road and said the Brynglas Tunnels were like, and I quote, “the… Read more »
In response to Andrew Davies, Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters insisted – three times, as if it was a magic incantation – “We are not banning road building. We are not banning road building. We are not banning road building”. This must have surprised and disappointed such Green stalwarts as the BBC, the Guardian and Friends of the Earth Cymru, who had greeted with cries of joy the original Senedd announcement of a radical freeze on all future road-building in Wales! Of course all partisan politicians are willing and adept liars when it suits them. No doubt, like… Read more »
Lend us your brain, Davies; we’re building an idiot!
Poor old Andy. He’s never won a campaign in all his life.
I like that road. It’s now dualled (mostly), open and well lit.
It’s a good way of getting to the airport from Bonvilston.
Before that it was an awful single carriageway road, a real accident blackspot.
Andrew RT Davies is a numpty but so is Lee Waters with his hair brained 20mph speed limit.
Ymenydd sgwarnog ynte ymenydd blewyn? – pa un bynnag o’t ti’n bwriadu, dwi’n cytuno!