Coal Tips
The tips which stain our mountainsides the length of the Welsh coalfield are a stark reminder of the legacy of our industrial past. More than 300 tips are known to be classed as high risk, and the increased rainfall associated with climate change could further destabilise tips across the valleys.
Not all local authorities in Wales have released information about where high-risk tips are located, which is intensifying the concerns of local residents. Plaid Cymru will push for this information to be made publicly available, and for a shared strategy to be put in place for local authorities to work with the Welsh Government and local landowners to ensure that all high risk tips are made safe. Evidently, the bill should be picked up by Westminster, but making these tips safe must be of paramount concern – and waiting for Westminster to do the right thing should not hamper these efforts.
Beyond the immediate concerns of safety, Plaid Cymru is calling for a national plan of action to be put in place to help regenerate the areas surrounding the tips. With the right green investment, these landscapes could be transformed from being an eyesore to being a source of civic pride and jobs for the local economy.