Plaid Cymru Pontypridd On Your Side

It’s time for a Clean Air Act for Wales

Plaid Cymru has called for new measures to improve air quality in Wales including phasing out the sale of diesel and petrol only vehicles by 2030.

Ahead of a statement by the Welsh Environment Minister on air quality in the Senedd, Plaid Cymru's Simon Thomas said a future Plaid Cymru Welsh Government would introduce a Clean Air Act for Wales to improve the air we breathe.

A spokesperson for Plaid Cymru Pontypridd welcomed this saying:

"We must take action on this issue, the levels of pollution around the A470 and other main roads is beyond belief.  In some cases we have schools next to roads that are congested on a daily basis.  A prime example of this can be seen near Sardis Road and Ysgol Evan James."

Plaid Cymru’s Clean Air Act could include:

• Ban non-hybrid Vehicles by 2030
• Clean Air Zones in towns and cities
• Air pollution monitors outside every school and hosptial
• Empowering local authorities to issue pollution charges to encourage less polluting traffic.

Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Climate Change, and Rural Affairs Simon Thomas said:

"We have a real problem with air pollution in Wales.

You can no longer see it or smell it, as I used to daily growing up in the Cynon Valley, the same valley as the notorious Phurnacite plant in the 1980s, but is just as dangerous.

Wales has some of the worst air quality in the UK. You can no longer see it or smell it, as I used to daily growing up in the same valley as the notorious Phurnacite plant in the 1980s. But it is just as dangerous.

Wales has some of the worst air quality in the UK. Cardiff and Port Talbot have higher particulate matter levels than Birmingham or Manchester, and a road in Caerphilly Borough is the most polluted outside of London. We are the sick man of the UK.

The governments of Carwyn Jones and Theresa May have been forced to start to address the problem because they were defeated in the courts by Client Earth.

“That Phurnacite plant produced smokeless fuel for London as a result of City Clean Air Acts. Yet Aberdare and Mountain Ash got the smoke and London got the clean air. No More. Our Clean Air Act act will phase out the sale of diesel and petrol only vehicles.

The irony is that Labour's London Mayor is campaigning hard to clean up the air kids breathe in London while Labour inaction here is suffocating our children.

Diesel vehicles are major contributors in urban areas which is why a Plaid Cymru Welsh Government will introduce a Clean Air Act for Wales to phase out the sale of diesel and petrol only vehicles by 2030.

Dirty air is killing our citizens and ruining our children's lives. We will clean up our air and force the pace of change.