Senedd Cymru | Welsh Parliament
Pwyllgor Newid Hinsawdd, yr Amgylchedd a Seilwaith | Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bil yr Amgylchedd (Ansawdd Aer a Seinweddau) (Cymru) | The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill
Ymateb gan Unigolyn | Evidence from Individual
There is a need to protect the Environment, but there is no justification for using the Environment as a new funding source for the Welsh Government and councils. Financial penalties are mentioned 31 times in the bill, and appear to be the only penalty that would be applied. Financial penalties are discriminatory and affect poorer people far more than the rich who would be happy to pay a fine to e.g. run their fashionable log burner. We must also not restrict peoples ability to travel long distances as freely and easily as they could via car in recent decades, else they will be confined to their 20 minute neighbourhood and less likely to see the natural landscapes of Wales that we want to protect. This will lead to less willing on their behalf to want to protect them as a source of national pride.
Air quality needs improving, but let's take actions that don't make it worse, such as implementing low speed limits, causing increased fuel use at lower gears due to greater frictionon the drivetrain, and riding brakes downhill that produce particulates, where there is no benefit. Let's look to improve the flow of traffic by removing pinch points that cause stop/start, slow/fast driving - sychronise traffic lights, remove speed bumps and narrowings. No one blames too much water for a blocked hosepipe.
Air quality needs improving, but let's take actions that don't make it worse, such as implementing low speed limits, causing increased fuel use at lower gears due to greater frictionon the drivetrain, and riding brakes downhill that produce particulates, where there is no benefit. Let's look to improve the flow of traffic by removing pinch points that cause stop/start, slow/fast driving - sychronise traffic lights, remove speed bumps and narrowings. No one blames too much water for a blocked hosepipe.
Air quality needs improving, but let's take actions that don't make it worse, such as implementing low speed limits, causing increased fuel use at lower gears due to greater frictionon the drivetrain, and riding brakes downhill that produce particulates, where there is no benefit. Let's look to improve the flow of traffic by removing pinch points that cause stop/start, slow/fast driving - sychronise traffic lights, remove speed bumps and narrowings. No one blames too much water for a blocked hosepipe.
Air quality needs improving, but let's take actions that don't make it worse, such as implementing low speed limits, causing increased fuel use at lower gears due to greater frictionon the drivetrain, and riding brakes downhill that produce particulates, where there is no benefit. Let's look to improve the flow of traffic by removing pinch points that cause stop/start, slow/fast driving - sychronise traffic lights, remove speed bumps and narrowings. No one blames too much water for a blocked hosepipe.
Air quality needs improving, but let's take actions that don't make it worse, such as implementing low speed limits, causing increased fuel use at lower gears due to greater frictionon the drivetrain, and riding brakes downhill that produce particulates, where there is no benefit. Let's look to improve the flow of traffic by removing pinch points that cause stop/start, slow/fast driving - sychronise traffic lights, remove speed bumps and narrowings. No one blames too much water for a blocked hosepipe.
Remain as a criminal offence so the penalty has equal weighting to the rich and the poor.
Air quality needs improving, but let's take actions that don't make it worse, such as implementing low speed limits, causing increased fuel use at lower gears due to greater frictionon the drivetrain, and riding brakes downhill that produce particulates, where there is no benefit. Let's look to improve the flow of traffic by removing pinch points that cause stop/start, slow/fast driving - sychronise traffic lights, remove speed bumps and narrowings. No one blames too much water for a blocked hosepipe.
Interesting in principle but can't see how e.g. building the South Wales Metro at night is compatible with this.
Interesting in principle but can't see how e.g. building the South Wales Metro at night is compatible with this.
Tackle the big causes of pollution, and don't use this as a front to implement 20 minute neighbourhoods. Improve traffic flow through better road planning. Build better public transport that's fit for all not just those who want to get to Cardiff Bay.
Barriers are that financial penalties are only significant for a portion of the population, that people don't trust you're doing this for benefit -only to find new ways to collect fines/charges, and that you're using sticks but no carrots.
Appropriate
Yes - See previous answers
You'll trash the economy even further. Tourism, and manufacturing will be decimated. What will take their place?