ACCESS TO OUR GREEN SPACES

Plaid Cymru Senedd Election candidate for Newport West, Jonathan T Clark, has warmly welcomed Plaid Cymru’s vision to create ’20-minute neighbourhoods’ in all towns and cities.

This would mean providing convenient, safe, pedestrian access to the places people need to visit and the services they use nearly every day, including public transport, shops, schools, parks, and social activities. 

A Plaid Cymru government would work to ensure the provision of a good quality green space within a five-minute walk of all households in Wales:

Jonathan T Clark, Plaid Cymru Senedd Election candidate for Newport West, said: 

“One consequence of the lockdowns over the last year, is that many of us have had little option but to do a great deal more walking and generally taking advantage of local parks and nearby green spaces. One of the things exposed by lockdown, is that too many people do not easy access to gardens, parks and green spaces on their doorstep.”

“While Newport is better placed that many Welsh urban areas, with relatively easily accessible  parks and green spaces, this is not the case everywhere.  Around 133,000 Welsh households do not have access to a private outdoor space, and that the average distance people live from a public park or garden is 432 metres.”

“A Plaid government would want to cut this to around 370 metres – no more than a five-minute walk – to ensure the provision of a good quality green space within reach of all households. This is an idea already supported by the Future Generations Commissioner who says that access to green space shouldn’t be down to a postcode lottery but “a right for everyone.”

“This would form part of a Plaid Cymru government’s wider vision to create 20-minute neighbourhoods in all towns and cities providing convenient, safe, walking access to the places people need to go and the services they use nearly every day. This should include public transport, shops, schools, parks and social activities, and would explore the potential for longer-distance cycleways along road networks from regional centres with significant commuter traffic.”

ENDS