Welsh transport appraisal guidance (WelTAG) 2022

This consultation document is about our draft Welsh transport appraisal guidance (WelTAG) 2022.

This is a draft of our updated guidance on transport appraisal in Wales. It is an update of the 2017 WelTAG guidance. 

We have updated the guidance to align it with the new Wales Transport Strategy: Llwybr Newydd. The Wales Transport Strategy puts sustainability at the heart of transport planning in Wales.  It sets new targets for more sustainable transport to help reduce carbon emissions. To achieve these, we need to think differently about how we plan and develop transport projects and investment.

WelTAG 2022 takes a logical, staged approach to planning and designing transport projects, programmes and policies.   It shows how to align them with our priorities for transport in Wales and deliver against wider well-being ambitions including reducing carbon emissions. It embeds the Sustainable Transport Hierarchy in the planning process.

There are important changes in WelTAG 2022. These include a closer alignment with our priorities for transport, a stronger focus on well-being and a new proportional approach, suitable for smaller projects in Wales.

This draft has been developed with informal feedback from local authorities, Welsh Government teams, transport consultants, transport user representatives and a range of other organisations but it is important now to get a wider range of input.

We also identified the possible need to use WelTAG at a more strategic or programme level to address regional interventions or groups of smaller scale sustainable travel interventions. This is likely to reduce the amount of work at individual scheme level.

As well as feedback on the draft guidance, we also welcome feedback on how the governance of WelTAG might be improved. During discussions we identified a number of examples of studies that are not aligned to Welsh Government policy and guidance. Therefore, alongside the new draft guidance, Welsh Government proposes to strengthen the governance around the production, approval and sign off of WelTAG studies for projects that seek Welsh Government funding and support. The aim is to identify opportunities to improve the way studies are commissioned and approved, in order to ensure they are high quality, meet the needs of all users and represent good value for money. 

Question 1:

WelTAG 2022 places less emphasis on the use of cost-benefit ratios, and more emphasis on well-being appraisal based on the ambitions and targets in the Wales Transport Strategy. Do you have any comments on this approach?

Question 2:

WelTAG 2022 introduces a new Stage 0 Case for Change and suggests that it should be done by the in-house team.  Do you have comments on this?

Question 3:

Would it be beneficial to use WelTAG at a strategic or programme level? If so, what types of transport interventions might best benefit from a strategic WelTAG approach?

Question 4:

WelTAG 2022 provides guidance on aligning transport planning and land use planning. What are the key issues and how could we address them in the guidance?

Question 5:

WelTAG 2022 introduces a proportionate approach to appraisal through three levels of detail – WelTAG lite, WelTAG standard and WelTAG plus. Most projects in Wales, including most active travel projects, should use WelTAG lite. Do you have comments on this approach?

Question 6:

We are developing technical guidance to accompany the main guidance.   Can you suggest specific tables or templates that would be helpful? Which particular topics would benefit from further guidance?

Question 7:

Do you have any other comments or feedback on the draft WelTAG 2022 guidance? 

Question 8:

Do you have any suggestions for how the governance of WelTAG might be improved in order to ensure that studies are high quality, meet the needs of users and represent good value for money?

Question 9:

We would like to know your views on the effects that WelTAG 2022 would have on the Welsh language, specifically on opportunities for people to use Welsh and on treating the Welsh language no less favourably than English. What effects do you think there would be?  How could positive effects be increased, or negative effects be mitigated?

Submit your comments by 3 November, in any of the following ways:

• complete our online form
• download, complete our response form and email weltag@gov.wales
• download, complete our response form and post to:

Transport Strategy and Policy
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

Under the data protection legislation, you have the right:

• to be informed of the personal data held about you and to access it
• to require us to rectify inaccuracies in that data
• to (in certain circumstances) object to or restrict processing
• for (in certain circumstances) your data to be ‘erased’
• to (in certain circumstances) data portability
• to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is our independent regulator for data protection.

Responses to consultations are likely to be made public, on the internet or in a report. If you would prefer your response to remain anonymous, please tell us.

For further details about the information the Welsh Government holds and its use, or if you want to exercise your rights under the UK GDPR, please contact:

Data Protection Officer

Data Protection Officer
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

Email: Data.ProtectionOfficer@gov.wales

Information Commissioner’s Office

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545 745 or 0303 123 1113

Website: ico.org.uk

UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The Welsh Government will be data controller for any personal data you provide as part of your response to the consultation. The Welsh Ministers have statutory powers they will rely on to process this personal data which will enable them to make informed decisions about how they exercise their public functions. Any response you send us will be seen in full by Welsh Government staff dealing with the issues which this consultation is about or planning future consultations. Where the Welsh Government undertakes further analysis of consultation responses, this work may be commissioned to be carried out by an accredited third party (eg a research organisation or a consultancy company). Any such work will only be undertaken under contract. The Welsh Government’s standard terms and conditions for such contracts set out strict requirements for the processing and safekeeping of personal data.

In order to show that the consultation was carried out properly, the Welsh Government intends to publish a summary of the responses to this document. We may also publish responses in full. Normally, the name and address (or part of the address) of the person or organisation who sent the response are published with the response. If you do not want your name or address published, please tell us this in writing when you send your response. We will then redact them before publishing.

You should also be aware of our responsibilities under Freedom of Information legislation. If your details are published as part of the consultation response, these published reports will be retained indefinitely. Any of your data held otherwise by the Welsh Government will be kept for no more than three years.

WG Number: WG44550

You can view this document in alternative languages. If you need it in a different format, please contact us.