Welsh Government ministers have made over 800 journeys in official cars since last May and just 42 on public transport.
The figures have been revealed by the Welsh Conservatives, who have criticised the ‘huge disparity’ and ‘hypocritical behaviour’.
Ministers have used the Welsh Government’s fleet of Volvos 854 times to travel to official engagements so far during the Fourth Assembly. They have undertaken 32 return and 10 single journeys on public transport for official engagements during the same period.
North Wales Assembly Member Antoinette Sandbach obtained the figures via written assembly questions. She said:
“This huge disparity between ministerial car use and public transport is unforgiveable. These figures don’t just show a small difference; cars have been used over 20 times more than public transport.
“Meanwhile, the Welsh Labour government continues to rightly push its sustainable travel town scheme. How can we expect people to sign up to the travel changes needed and leave their cars at home if ministers engage in this kind of hypocritical behaviour?”
Shadow Minister for Transport Byron Davies AM said:
“The ministerial cars certainly have their place and we would not expect them to be banished. What we desperately need is a much better balance between use of these cars and use of public transport.
“Wales is not a vastly large country and there is no reason why this many car journeys should be chosen over rail or other alternative forms of transportation.”
