Questions to the FM last week

Road Safety Measures

Q4 Bethan Jenkins: Will the First Minister make a statement on road safety measures in Wales? OAQ(3)0400(FM)

The First Minister: More than 350 schemes involving 20 mph limits or zones have now been implemented across Wales. Taken together, they have demonstrated an annual average accident reduction of 86 per cent. That is just one of a series of programmes that we continue to implement in order to improve road safety across Wales.

Bethan Jenkins: I am sure that you are aware that this week is National Road Safety Week. I obviously welcome the commitments made by the One Wales Government to tackle this issue, especially with regard to children. In Pontardawe, there are numerous problems with road safety measures and access for trade vehicles. In addition, you need four accidents to happen before any sort of action can be taken, which I think is unacceptable. Could you make a statement to support the need for pre-emptive as opposed to reactive road safety measures in this area?

The First Minister: I would hope that we are not being reactive, because we have issued a challenge to try to achieve the UK Government’s casualty reduction targets by 2010. The targets are a 40 per cent reduction in the number of casualties that are killed or seriously injured, a 50 per cent reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured, and a 10 per cent reduction in the number of slight casualties. I think that we have a reasonable chance of achieving that objective in Wales.


C4 Bethan Jenkins: A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am fesurau diogelwch ar y ffyrdd yng Nghymru? OAQ(3)0400(FM)

Y Prif Weinidog: Mae dros 350 o gynlluniau sy’n golygu cyfyngiadau neu barthau 20 mya wedi cael eu gweithredu ar draws Cymru erbyn hyn. Gyda’i gilydd, maent wedi dangos gostyngiad blynyddol o 86 y cant yn nifer y damweiniau ar gyfartaledd. Nid yw hon ond un o gyfres o raglenni yr ydym yn dal i’w gweithredu er mwyn gwella diogelwch ar y ffyrdd ar draws Cymru.

Bethan Jenkins: Yr wyf yn siŵr eich bod yn ymwybodol mai’r wythnos hon yw Wythnos Genedlaethol Diogelwch ar y Ffyrdd. Yn amlwg yr wyf yn croesawu’r ymrwymiadau a wnaethpwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru’n Un i fynd i’r afael â’r mater hwn, yn enwedig o safbwynt plant. Ym Mhontardawe, mae nifer o broblemau’n ymwneud â mesurau diogelwch ar y ffyrdd a mynediad i gerbydau masnach. Yn ychwanegol, mae gofyn cael pedair damwain cyn bod modd gweithredu mewn unrhyw ffordd, sy’n annerbyniol yn fy marn i. A wnewch chi ddatganiad i gefnogi’r angen am fesurau rhagataliol yn hytrach na mesurau diogelwch adweithiol yn y maes hwn?

Y Prif Weinidog: Byddwn yn gobeithio nad bod yn adweithiol yr ydym, oherwydd yr ydym wedi gosod her i geisio cyrraedd targedau Llywodraeth y DU o ran gostwng y nifer sy’n cael eu hanafu a’u lladd erbyn 2010. Y targedau yw gostyngiad o 40 y cant yn nifer y bobl sy’n cael eu lladd neu eu hanafu’n ddifrifol, gostyngiad o 50 y cant yn nifer y plant sy’n cael eu lladd neu eu hanafu’n ddifrifol, a gostyngiad o 10 y cant yn nifer y mân anafiadau. Credaf fod gennym obaith rhesymol o gyrraedd y nod hwnnw yng Nghymru.

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Ray Gravell

Bethan Jenkins: I would like to associate myself with those people who have offered their condolences to the family of the great patriot, Ray Gravell, who passed away recently. On a more positive note, the Cambria magazine has started a campaign in the form of a petition calling for the renaming of the Prince William Cup as the Ray Gravell Cup. Could the Government make a statement to the Welsh Rugby Union pledging its support to this petition? Over 2,000 people have already signed the petition, and 1,000 people have also joined the relevant group on Facebook. Therefore, can the Government support the campaign?

Carwyn Jones: First, I endorse the tributes that have been made by several Members in the Chamber today. I had the experience of walking around Stradey Park with Ray and a Welsh black bull prior to Llanelli’s match against Colimiers in the European cup, and I remember that experience well.

On the other point raised, the Government has no view on the petition, and, at present, I am responding on behalf of the Government. It is, of course, a matter for individuals to decide to express their opinion in whichever way they wish.


Bethan Jenkins: Hoffwn ymuno â’r bobl sydd wedi cynnig eu cydymdeimlad i deulu Ray Gravell a fu farw yn ddiweddar. Yr oedd yn genedlaetholwr o fri. Ar nodyn mwy positif, mae cylchgrawn Cambria wedi dechrau ymgyrch ar ffurf deiseb sy’n cynnig ailenwi Cwpan y Tywysog William yn Gwpan Ray Gravell. A all y Llywodraeth ddatgan ei chefnogaeth i’r ddeiseb hon i Undeb Rygbi Cymru? Mae mwy na 2,000 o bobl wedi llofnodi’r ddeiseb yn barod, ac mae 1,000 o bobl hefyd wedi ymuno â’r grŵp perthnasol ar wefan Facebook. Felly, a all y Llywodraeth gefnogi’r ymgyrch?


Carwyn Jones: Yn gyntaf, ategaf y geiriau o gydymdeimlad a gyflëwyd gan sawl Aelod yn y Siambr heddiw. Cefais y profiad o arwain tarw du Cymreig o gwmpas Parc y Strade gyda Ray cyn gêm Llanelli yn erbyn Colimiers yng nghwpan Ewrop, ac yr wyf yn cofio hynny’n iawn.

O ran y pwynt arall a godwyd, nid oes gan y Llywodraeth farn am y ddeiseb, ac, ar hyn o bryd, yr wyf yn ateb ar ran y Llywodraeth. Wrth gwrs, penderfyniad unigolion yw mynegi eu barn ym mha ffordd bynnag a ddymunant.