Transport

Claim: The Welsh Government has failed to delegate properly on the Menai Bridge. There’s no real control.

UK Highways A55 DBFO Ltd are a private company who are fully responsible for the operation and maintenance of the A55 between Junction 1 to Junction 11 and the A5 Menai Loop which includes the Menai Suspension Bridge. This has been undertaken as per the contract requirements which would be in line with highway standards of the time. The inspections would lead the required maintenance work on the bridge and this has taken place, hence the Phase 2 refurbishment works being programmed.

The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract was awarded to UK Highways A55 DBFO Ltd in December 1998 which was pre devolution and Welsh Government for a 30 year term which was the first privately financed road in Wales. It is due to expire in 2028, and Welsh Government and North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent have increased management of the handover of the asset back to Welsh Government in recent years.

PFI type contracts have been used across the UK to support the design, construction, financing, and operation of various infrastructure projects, including other road projects.

During the contract, Welsh Government have been responsible as the client managing the contract and Welsh Ministers as highway authority. Our North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent take the role of the departmental representative to provide support to ensure contract duties are fulfilled.

Roles and responsibilities are fully known between all parties and meetings are held with UK Highways A55 DBFO Ltd regularly on a day-to-day basis and at board levels.

UK Highways A55 DBFO Ltd are fully responsible for the works required to the Menai Suspension Bridge including the costs.

Work is taking place at pace towards a resolution to the closure and developing a traffic management enforcement plan to partially reopen the bridge as soon as practicable and safe to do so.

Claim: ‘Welsh Government to devolve powers over pay-per-mile car tax to local councils’

Powers over road user charging already lie with local authorities in Wales. The Welsh Government has no plans to introduce user charging on the roads it is responsible for and there has been no change to the policy.

More information: Eich cyf (senedd.wales)

Claim: ‘There is no evidence that the 20mph speed limit has reduced casualties‘

The Welsh Government publishes quarterly road collision data on 20mph and 30mph roads. This data includes information on which police force area collisions occurred in, available through the interactive dashboard for each release: Police recorded road collisions: interactive dashboard | GOV.WALES.

The latest quarterly figures show that in January to March 2024, road casualties on 20mph and 30mph roads (combined) were 19% lower than in the previous quarter (463) and 26% lower than in the same quarter in 2023 (510). This number has generally been declining over the last decade but is the lowest figure recorded in Wales outside the COVID-19 period.

Transport for Wales’s Default 20mph Speed Limit on Restricted Roads report shows that average speeds on main roads dropped an average of 4mph – from 28.9mph to 24.6.

The principal objective of the policy has always been to reduce casualties and help people feel safer in their communities. We will continue to monitor the long term trend but things are heading in the right direction.