Location
United Kingdom

Market Fact

Main issues must be clearly stated:​​​​​​​ The Wales Roads Review – an unprecedented examination of whether investment in over fifty local road schemes should continue – signals high-profile change by the Welsh Government, prompted by the climate emergency.

Location: Wales

Main facts/points + Key statistics and data:

  • ​​​​​​​The Wales Roads Review, an examination of local road schemes in Wales, reflects a high-profile change by the government in response to the climate emergency.
  • Many proposed road projects have been halted, challenging the conventional approach of expanding road capacity for private cars, which has contributed to increased greenhouse gas emissions and road traffic fatalities.
    • Three million people live in Wales, driving over 1.5 million cars. 
    • "We must decarbonise rapidly – in half by the end of this decade and completely by 2050 – if we are to keep global warming in check. Road transport is critical to this undertaking, but while zero-emission vehicles will help significantly, they are not enough and they are not likely to come fast enough. To address both the climate crisis and road safety concerns, we must reduce road traffic. This is why the Welsh Government has set a target for a 10% reduction in car distance travelled per person in Wales by 2030 and brought into question the case for building new roads that increase car capacity."
  • The review promotes the need to shift from car-dependent connectivity to a combination of more efficient movement by road and public transport, active travel, and digital connectivity.
  • The recommendations aim to reduce car capacity, minimize construction emissions, maintain lower vehicle speeds, and avoid adverse environmental effects, ultimately fostering a more sustainable and connected Wales.
  • "The Roads Review is not intended to be a threat to local, regional, and national prosperity but an opportunity for change, change that can and must be embraced on the road ahead."

Original link /Source of Information / Date of Updates:

Streetsblog USA, 06.10.2023, https://usa.streetsblog.org/2023/10/06/highways-to-hell-how-one-country-is-rethinking-road-investment