AMs welcomes transport funding boost

Mid and West Wales AMs Joyce Watson and Eluned Morgan have welcomed significant money for transport schemes to improve safety, create economic growth and promote active travel across the region.
The Welsh Government this week (22 March) allocated £31.4 million of transport grants to local authorities – it includes more than £8.5 million for Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire and Powys.
Joyce Watson said:
“The scale and range of the projects promises to deliver all sort of benefits, from easing congestion to creating better, safer transport links to jobs, schools and between our communities. This latest investment by the Welsh Labour Government is great news.”
Eluned Morgan AM said:
“It is just the sort of thing people in communities across Mid and West Wales have been telling me they need during my discussions with them about a plan specifically for rural Wales. Investing in transport infrastructure will help bring much needed economic growth to the region”.
The new and existing money comes from four different funds: £20 million through the Local Transport Fund, nearly £4 million from the Road Safety Capital Grant, £5.5 million through the Safe Routes in Communities Grant and almost £2 million for road safety education and training programmes.
Carmarthenshire
A total of £4,493,259 will go to projects in Carmarthenshire. They include £1.5 million for the Cross Hands link road; £1 million for walking and cycling links; and road safety measures for Carmarthen Town and the B4297, near Gorslas, Tycroes and Talyclun.
Ceredigion
A total of £354,800 will go to projects in Ceredigion, including £57,000 for motorcycling, cycling and driving safety courses; and £56,800 to maintain and improve safe travel to and from Ysgol Bro Ped, Lampeter.
Gwynedd
A total of 849,500 will go to projects in Gwynedd. They include £105,000 for improved access at Llanbedr and £47,500 for Dolgellau’s new bus interchange.
Pembrokeshire
A total of £2,406,850 will go to Pembrokeshire projects. They include the second phase of Fishguard town centre access improvements – and road safety measures to and from schools in Hakin and Hubberston.
Powys
A total of 463,130 will go to Powys projects, including £102,600 for motorcycling, cycling and driving safety courses – and £299,530 for traffic safety measures at John Beddoes campus, Newtown High School, and Presteigne Primary School.
The £20m Local Transport Fund will see communities from across Wales benefit from 46 schemes across 20 local authorities, whilst the Road Safety Capital Grant will enable the delivery of 31 road casualty reduction schemes in 16 local authorities. The schemes target the locations and routes across Wales with the highest casualty and collision figures and support our road casualty reduction targets.
The Safe Routes in Communities Grant makes an investment of over £5.5m in 32 schemes that will make a big difference to pupils’ journeys to school by improving walking and cycling routes to schools in 19 local authorities. The grant supports the work that is being done in schools across Wales to encourage more children to walk and cycle to school.
In addition, funding of nearly £2 million will be made available to all local authorities for road safety education and training programmes for, in particular, high risk and vulnerable groups such as children, young people, older drivers and motorcyclists.