Alyn and Deeside’s Welsh Conservative Candidate in the Senedd elections, Abigail Mainon, is concerned that Welsh Government proposals to introduce tolls on roads will hit residents and businesses in the constituency hard and is calling on people to sign a petition against them.  

The tolls, which are being proposed by the Labour-led Welsh Government in its White Paper on the Clean Air (Wales) Bill would charge ordinary people, tourists and businesses for using certain roads including the A55 and A494 in Alyn and Deeside – effectively creating a new tax for using the road network.

Criticising the proposals Abigail said:

It is absolutely outrageous that the Labour-led Welsh Government is even thinking about introducing this additional tax in the middle of a pandemic when so many are already struggling financially.

This new driving tax would hit us all for doing everyday essential things, like shopping, going to work, and visiting the doctors.

The Welsh Government argue that tolls would encourage motorists to take alternative routes or use public transport, decreasing localised air pollution.  However, the consultation document on the proposed changes notes that Welsh air quality is the best it has been since the industrial revolution.  

These plans need to be scrapped. As the vaccine rollout continues, the Labour Welsh Government should be encouraging the recovery in Alyn and Deeside, instead of raising the cost of living and making it harder to get on in life by putting new tolls on our roads.

Click here to sign our petition and say no to this tax.