The idea of tolls for some drivers on two of Wales’ busiest stretches of road has been raised by Welsh government.

It asked for the public’s views in a survey about some motorists paying to use parts of the M4 motorway and A470 in a bid to tackle air pollution.
The survey asked for views on tolls for older cars on the M4 around Newport, Wales’ busiest stretch of motorway, and the A470 around Pontypridd.
But the survey said a “clean air zone” is not proposed “at this stage”.
An air pollution expert said any suggestion would be unlike any other air pollution measure in the UK, which normally charges motorists for driving into cities rather on stretches of road.
The Welsh government has declared a climate emergency and has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
The government survey asked drivers if their commuting or travelling habits would change if some vehicles had to pay to use those stretches of road.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking (APPGCW) has released its inquiry report into the Government’s upcoming 2nd Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS2).
The inquiry, exploring what CWIS2 should look like, took place in July and the list of witnesses can be found online. Three evidence sessions were held.
The report makes a number of detailed and wide-ranging recommendations – which are based on evidence received from a variety of stakeholders, provided both in virtual sessions and in writing. 

Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City. This lecture, given by Peter Norton at the 2012 CNU Conference, provides a summary of Norton’s fascinating 2009 book about how automotive traffic came to dominate the American street.
Peter Norton teaches history of technology, social dimensions of engineering, research, and professional ethics in the Department of Engineering at the University of Virginia.

The WHO has cut its recommended limits for air pollution and urged nations to tackle dirty air and save millions of lives.
In the first update for 16 years, the guideline limit for the most damaging pollution – tiny particles from burning fossil fuels – has been halved. The new limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), mainly produced by diesel engines, is now 75% lower.
The stringent new limits reflect the large body of evidence produced in recent years of the deadly harm caused to people by much lower levels of pollution than previously thought. Air pollution kills at least 7 million people a year, the WHO said, while a recent study estimated 8.7 million early deaths a year from coal, oil and gas burning – 20% of all deaths.
Pollution cuts an average of two years from the lives of the global population, and up to six years in highly polluted nations such as India, making it a bigger killer than smoking, car crashes or HIV/Aids.

Councils which rip out cycle lanes or low-traffic neighbourhoods before giving them a chance to work or without evidence they are failing could lose future central government funding, ministers have warned.
In a sign of the growing frustration within government at some councils, both Conservative and Labour, which have removed active travel schemes in the face of sometimes noisy objections, transport minister Chris Heaton-Harris is formally writing to the leaders of all English local authorities with transport responsibilities.
In separate comments, Boris Johnson warned councils that he was serious about boosting active travel, saying that “trying to squeeze more cars and delivery vans on the same roads and hoping for the best is not going to work”.

A devious taxi driver shattered the dreams of a dedicated cyclist after ploughing into his bike at 60pmh, then tried to delete evidence he had been on his phone at the time.
Victim Ian Isted had planned to celebrate his 50th birthday by taking part in the Ironman triathlon contest but was left severely injured when he was flung off his bike.
On January 6, 2019, cabbie Kashrap Patel, from Tunbridge Wells, was using two mobile phones shortly before ploughing into the back of Mr Isted’s bike, Maidstone Crown Court heard.
Defence barrister Ian Dear said Patel’s “mindless stupidity” had caused the life-changing injuries which had ruined the victim’s plans to compete in the Ironman challenge.