Oral Answers to Questions

Bob Blackman Excerpts

Wednesday 6th December 2023 Commons Chamber

[Virginia Crosbie (Ynys Môn) (Con)]

5. What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the 20 mph speed limit on rural communities.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

14. What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the 20 mph speed limit on rural communities.

--- Later in debate ---

[David T. C. Davies]

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend and call on the Welsh Labour Government to rescind the policy of a blanket 20 mph speed limit across Wales. At the same time, I call on them to rescind their policy of building no new roads ever again in Wales, and I call on them to scrap their policy of bringing in road charging for using the motorway network. Is it not interesting that not one Labour Member present is willing to stand up to defend their own Senedd Government policy?

[Bob Blackman]

We have already heard about the importance of tourism to the Welsh economy. Has my right hon. Friend made any assessment of the impact on tourism, which will disappear from Wales as a result of this blanket ban?

[David T. C. Davies]

My hon. Friend makes an interesting point. People will now not only have to pay extra money to come into Wales as a result of the Welsh Labour Government’s tourism tax, but find it a lot slower to get around Wales as a result of the Welsh Labour Government’s speed limits. In my constituency of Monmouthshire, the Labour council has recently decided for the first time ever to bring in charges for people who want to use the shops on a Sunday over the Christmas period, meaning that it wants us to slow down, but not to stop.