Written question WQ92342
- Asked by
- Mark IsherwoodConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 5 days
Question
What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure the Active Travel Fund is being spent on local authority schemes where robust equality impact assessments have been carried out?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
I refer you to the answer I gave to Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire) (WQ92170, WQ92171 and WQ92172) on 25 March, in Annex 1 below.
Annex 1
To ensure duties undertaken in line with the Active Travel Act comply with those of the Equality Act (2010), Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) must be carried out on all schemes funded through the Active Travel Fund. Any predicted negative equalities impacts should be mitigated. Under the Equality Act (2010), public sector authorities also have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to the built environment to ensure the design of new infrastructure is accessible to all. The requirement for inclusive design applies to both pedestrians and cyclists.
TfW have also undertaken a pilot project this year to review a sample of Active Travel Fund projects with the aim of identifying any common access and inclusion issues that can be shared with local authorities to inform scheme designs. TfW are currently finalising that work and will be undertaking a lessons learnt process to inform future approaches. Feedback was also provided to those local authorities who submitted schemes for review, so they could take account of the more detailed feedback in developing their proposals.
The design team will regularly keep the Active Travel Act Guidance under review and update it, when necessary, to ensure the guidance reflects current best practice, legislation, and the latest technology. We will ensure practitioners and leaders are kept abreast of the changes and the dissemination of this will form part of the remit of Academi Teithio Llesol. As part of their remit, the Hub team will facilitate sharing of innovation and best practice across all local authorities and delivery partners to improve the function, safety, accessibility, quality, and value of all interventions.