Welsh Lib Dems would scrap government handout for air-link

2.33.55pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 11th Apr 2007

As the first of the publicly-funded North-South air journeys takes place today, the Welsh Lib Dems have pledged to scrap the government handout for the service.

The flights, which will run from Cardiff to Anglesey, are expected to receive around £3.6m worth of Assembly Government funding over the next three years. The Welsh Liberal Democrats will divert that money towards sustainable and more environmentally-friendly forms of public transport.

Speaking from Menai Bridge, where she was launching the party's manifesto for North Wales, Eleanor Burnham said:

"We will stop taxpayers' money going to fund this service. We want to support public transport that serves the whole of North Wales, not just the wealthy business traveller.

"The £3.6m earmarked for the Anglesey-Cardiff air link could be better invested for the North Wales economy. We would want to invest that spend on providing a first rate public transport service that can serve the whole of North Wales. A country like Wales needs strong and reliable North-South travel for all, not just the better-off.

"Air Andrew does little to address the real problems of public transport links between North and South."

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have pledged to invest £60million extra in public transport over the next four years. Alongside this the party has put forward proposals to make it easier to develop bus services and community transport that meets passengers' needs.

Diwedd/Ends