The Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 (anaw 7) ( cy, Deddf Teithio Llesol (Cymru) 2013) was an Act of the

National Assembly for Wales The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English language, English and () in Welsh language, Welsh, is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes ...

that was given

royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...

on 4 November 2013. The Act requires local authorities to continuously improve facilities and routes for pedestrians and cyclists and to prepare maps identifying current and potential future routes for their use. The Act also requires new road schemes (including road improvement schemes) to consider the needs of pedestrians and cyclists at design stage. The law was passed after a six-year campaign led by

Lee Waters Lee Waters (born 12 February 1976) is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative politician serving in the Welsh Government as the Deputy Minister for Climate Change since 2021. He has served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Llanelli since 2016 and wa ...

, then director of

Sustrans Sustrans is a United Kingdom-based walking, wheeling and cycling charity, and the custodian of the National Cycle Network. Its flagship project is the National Cycle Network, which has created of signed cycle routes throughout the United Kin ...

Cymru. In 2016, 'lack of funds and leadership' and resistance from highways engineers, were among the factors blamed for the failure of the Act to deliver its potential. In 2018, a report from the

Welsh Assembly The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Gove ...

's Cross Party Group on the Active Travel Act, led by Lee Waters, found no increase in the numbers of people walking and cycling to work; the numbers going to school had actually declined. The report blamed a lack of leadership in councils and the Welsh Government.

References

Acts of the National Assembly for Wales Transport in Wales {{Wales-stub