(Title Image: Edinburgh Greens under Creative Commons Licence BY-2.0)
Eight communities to pilot default 20mph speed limit
Eight communities have been selected to pilot a default 20mph speed limit. At present, most default speed limits in urban areas are at 30mph. The pilots will be phased in from summer 2021.
It’s hoped that a reduction in the default speed limit will reduce the number of serious road accidents and make walking and cycling more attractive.
Last year, the Senedd agreed in principle to a default 20mph speed limit, which also has the support of active travel campaigners. A national rollout isn’t expected until 2023 at the earliest.
All adults set to be offered Covid-19 vaccine by the end of July
The Health Minister has said that all adults in Wales should be offered a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of July 2021.
The first four priority groups have already received at least one of two doses of the vaccine and around a third of adults in Wales have received their first dose in total.
Following a campaign, it was also agreed that people with severe learning disabilities and mental illnesses should be prioritised in the next wave of vaccinations – due to be completed by the end of April – focused on those aged under-70 with underlying health conditions.
National Development Framework launched
The Welsh Government has officially launched its spatial plan for the next 20 years. Future Wales sets broad strategic planning and development goals on a regional basis.
The plan prioritises development in urban areas using a “town centre first” principle and also sets out new priority areas for large-scale wind and solar energy projects.
A draft of the framework was approved by the Senedd in September 2020.
“No-fault eviction” notice period to be extended after law passed
The Senedd has passed the Renting Homes Amendment Bill by 36 votes to 17. The Bill will extend the minimum notice period for “no-fault evictions” to 6 months, which will effectively guarantee private tenancies for at least a year (as a notice can’t be issued until 6 months into a tenancy).
Plaid Cymru voted against the Bill, saying it didn’t go far enough. They said they would revisit the issue if they formed the next Welsh Government and supports an outright ban on “no-fault evictions”, which the Welsh Government has argued would come into conflict with human rights regarding property.
