Welsh minister proposes transport alliance with Scotland and Northern Ireland
Welsh Government minister Lee Waters has suggested that Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland should form a transport alliance that excludes England.
The Deputy Minister for Climate Change says the devolved nations have more in common with each other on policy than they do the Department for Transport in England.
He said that the UK Government’s transport and climate approach ‘lacks coherence and credibility’ and criticised Transport Secretary Grant Shapps for a belief in technology solutions and ‘hyper mobility’.
Speaking to Local Transport Today, he said: “We have far more in common with each other than we have in common with the Department for Transport in England, increasingly.
“We have quarterly meetings. We’re looking at commissioning some joint work together, studies on remote working for example.
“I think there’s a lot of potential for an alliance of devolved governments to develop a coherent transport policy, given that the DfT seems off on its own, ignoring the tough choices the climate change targets present to us all.”
‘Freeze’
One of the tough choices recently made by the Welsh Government has been putting a freeze on existing road schemes, pending an assessment by the Roads Review Panel.
The Llanelli MS said that it’s more than a temporary block on existing projects and it could mean the ‘end of the road’ for any future bypasses.
“The real importance of the roads review is not for schemes currently on blocks, it’s for all future road schemes. That’s where I think its potential radicalness lies”, he states.
“We could be seeing the last batch of bypasses, depending what the panel recommends. If they come forward with a set of proposals that ‘in future, we don’t think a blanket approach to congestion in towns is to build a bypass’, that would be a significant departure.”
20mph
Lee Waters also talks about the battle to win ‘hearts and minds’ over the move to make 20mph speed limits the national default for built-up areas.
The Welsh Government is currently carrying out a consultation on the change with a target to implement the reduced limits by April 2023.
He said: “This is not going to be a big bang approach. I don’t expect us to achieve 20mph straight away. It will be a process over time of changing behaviours”.
He said that speed cameras and imposing fines were unlikely to prove effective and suggests more long term approaches.
One idea proposed is for public sector vehicles to start observing the strict 20mph limit so they act as ‘pace cars’, causing a ‘ripple effect’ on traffic speeds.
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Oh yes indeed!….and we need to talk about many more things with Ireland and Scotland.
“One of the tough choices recently made by the Welsh Government has been putting a freeze on existing roach schemes …”
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Well done, WG! Credit where it’s due and putting a kerb [sic.] on those pesky insects!
Welsh minister proposes transport alliance with Scotland and Northern Ireland (googleusercontent.com)
Thank you, Mr Editor. But the internet never forgets! 🙂
So Waters’ great plan for removing Wales and Scotland from English domination in transport is to copper fasten it in part of Ireland. 🙄
Incidentally, whilst the saltire and the dragon are the national flags of Scotland and Wales and worthy of respect as such, the sectarian abomination of a rag which makes up the fourth quarter of the image hasn’t been an officially recognised banner since 1973.
This is the flag of Ulster… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Ulster
I don’t understand what you’re driving at (sorry…)
The article’s first sentence says “Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland”. I imagine that south of the border there’s already a policy that excludes England. So copper fastening what into which part?
You’re on the nail about that bloody flag though.
I thought the Red Hand predated the creation of Northern Ireland as it was the traditional symbol of the old rulers of Ulster way back, possibly Tudor era or before. If that’s the case then surely the goal should be to reclaim it rather than denounce it, after all Ulster is as important apart of Irish history as Gwynedd is to Wales
The red hand is on the Flag of Ulster. Follow Alan’s link.
It’s the crown and the St George’s cross in the background of the banner in the illustration at the top of this page that’s offensive.
Precisely. The red hand of Ulster first appeared during pagan times. It is as much a part of Irish history and heritage as it is, in its bastardised form, in Loyalist kkkulture. Off the top of my head, five of the nine (including two in the 26 counties) counties of Ulster use it in their GAA badge for example. The flag above though (in this article) is used to demarcate territory as “not being (for the) Irish” despite being in Ireland, i.e. WASP territory. It’s sectarian and belongs in the dustbin of history.
The red hand on its own represents the nine counties of Ulster. The combination of red hand and crown represents the six counties of Northern Ireland. It’s complicated…
It is, which is why anyone with an interest in freedom for Wales and Scotland should by nature be for a united and entirely free Ireland.
26 + 6 = 1
The flag has been changed in the article since the comment you are replying too.
Any move which helps the artificial Six County statelet to develop and progress aids the continuation of its existence in its current format. Anyone who is pro-Welsh or pro-Scottish independence should view the occupation of the six northeastern counties of Ireland in the same light as the continued colonisation of their own proud countries. In short, links should be fostered between 🇮🇪🏴🏴 with a view to gaining full independence for each one. Yes, there is full independence in the 26 counties but every effort should be made to ensure the 6 counties continue to malfunction, or at least function badly,… Read more »
Alan, (sorry to go slightly off topic) when a child at seaside, i could buy a group of paper flags for sand castles, the coolest of which was emerald green with gold harp. Obviously Irish, but what did that represent?
Found it. One of the provinces.
20mph in urban areas will bring traffic and business to a halt. It is also decidedly fuel inefficient in a patrol/ diesel vehicle. 20mph means driving in third or even second gear. The safety gain over 30mph is minimal. Why not just demand that all urban reaffic is banned, or that we revert to horse and cart.
The safety gain of 20mph is significant. At 30 mph a collision with a pedestrian, kills, and especially children. At 20mph a collision causes injury but rarely death. This is particularly true for vehicles with high bonnets. Older, lower cars, a child will slide over and fall off. On a higher bonnet the child cannot do that and takes the full impact.
Ewan Allan MacGregor Scott
Lowering the limit from 30 to 20 mph, lowers injuries fatalities by about 20%. The percentages of RTI’s are on the way down anyway, but if it was your child who was killed by a car travelling at 30 mph, that might affect your perspective somewhat.
Helo eto yr hen frawd, ers slawer dydd! 🙂
Nice one. Speaking to Local Transport Today, he said: “We [Wales, Scotland, N. Ireland] have far more in common with each other than we have in common with the Department for Transport in England, increasingly. This is Celtic Federation talk. Softly softly. Quarterly meetings on transport. Next quarterly meetings on trade. Next health, education, finance. No fanfare, no announcement of a Celtic Federation so no panicky English reactions. Just building it quietly step by step. Then one day oh well there are all these joint meetings gong on so a shared secretariat would be efficient to coordinate dates, meeting resources, joint… Read more »
To borrow blatantly from a well known and respected website, “The Celtic nations is a cultural region and collection of geographical territories in Western Europe and the North Atlantic where Celtic languages and cultural traits have survived.” and covers Wales, Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Cornwall and Brittany.
We all have our own allegiances and agendas but I’d say that a mooted cooperation between any of these nations might be a precursor to a loose federation.
I’ve always read SM’s comments as indicating a pride in being Welsh, not shame for having been English.
Diolch Defaid. You are right I take great pride in being adopted Welsh. It’s not something I ever claimed for myself, it was granted me by various influential Welsh people, including one of the Arch-Druids of the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol. But when I refer to my Welsh aspects I’m not trying to impress (maybe a little because I am so proud of it). I’m trying to show respect for my adopted people. ////… As for being ashamed of being English, good heavens, how not to be? By being Tory perhaps, or woefully ignorant of history. I am neither. Before a Welshman… Read more »
So the self loathing is rubbing a OK.
So we can add Dutch to Welsh tl the list of nationalities you play act at… in English.
Eggon Cress, we have plenty of respect for Shan. She was given it freely but has also earned it. That’s what happens when people embrace their home, wherever that may be.
It’s tantrum throwing equivocating, prevaricating bombastic babies like you we don’t respect.
Believe me there is no anger.
More puzzlememt that the Welsh Government is funding this 8-man pensioner Nat deluded hate hole when people are rioting and going hungry.
Spot on, Shan. This is the value of the proposal. I was struggling to see any other value. Hard to see a road to Scotland/Ireland bypassing England, or train lines! Shipping would be different, the sea does connects us, and free us. But sadly Wales has a very poor record in getting maritime going. We’ve lost the skills, and seed shipping companies I fear.
They need research into this 20 mph limit before it is implemented. Last year in the UK there were 1,472 road fatalities very few of whom were pedestrians in residential roads. Cutting speeds with a blanket ban will cause higher pollution which kills 5,000 a year nearly all in residential areas.
It will be a great idea when cars are electric but having been knocked over twice by the silent menace of thesneaky Prius that too needs research.
“He said that speed cameras and imposing fines were unlikely to prove effective and suggests more long term approaches.”
But aren’t speeding fines a matter for the police? Who are run from London?
So I think we can expect draconian fines for anyone doing 23mph in a deserted urban street
Feed the Union and the Union will feed you.
Floreat Regina, Floreat Etona
Come now. We all know THAT’s not true. Feed the Union and the union will take more, then betray you at your moment of most needs.
Egon bitter ‘cos women laughed at his Trabant. Good for 20 kph, though.
We have more in common with Ireland (Republic) than the northern entity.
Get the Minister a map! Wales plainly has far more in common with the 26 counties of Ireland (Republic) than the 6 counties of the North.
Towns around Edinburgh have 20mph limits, and it seems accepted. Also here in N Wales, motorists are very considerate. I don’t think there will be too many against it. It may or may not be common elsewhere in Scotland, I’ve only visited Edinburgh recently. Any consultation should visit such towns
It is all over Scotland.
Good idea, providing we ultimately can decide our own transport policy based on Welsh needs.
Wales can also join a free trading and customs union with Scotland and the whole of Ireland….. Then with Benelux and the rest of Europe. Now that will be good idea.
We can sell our farming produce to Europe without tariffs.
Actually there is already such a union: The European Union.
England and the UK regime just left it in 2020 !
We will just need to leave the centralised UK system become independent then we can decide our own future.
Why not include the Republic of Ireland?