Walking, talking and making the case for cycling at Plaid Cymru conference

By Cycling UK
Monday, 19 October 2026
Three people are standing in front of a table in a conference room. The table is covered with an orange Cycling UK cloth and has Cycling UK posters behind it
First Minister Rhun ap Iowerth visits the Cycling UK Cymru stand
From a sunny walk along Llandudno’s promenade with the Deputy Minister for Transport to discussions about the Tour de France and local cycling routes, Gwenda Owen and Tomos Owens were busy making the case for cycling at this year’s Plaid Cymru conference

The sun was shining in Llandudno as Cycling UK Cymru headed to Plaid Cymru’s annual conference on 2 and 3 October. With a new government in place and plenty of decisions ahead about the future of transport in Wales, it was an important opportunity to speak to ministers, Senedd Members, councillors and others about making cycling safer, easier and more accessible.

Across two busy days, we had encouraging conversations about everything from investment in everyday cycling to the opportunities presented by the Tour de France coming to Wales in 2027.

Walking and talking with the Deputy Minister for Transport

One of the highlights of the weekend was our ‘Walk and Talk’ event along Llandudno’s promenade, where we were delighted to be joined by Deputy Minister for Transport Mark Hooper MS.

A group of people are standing on a promenade talking. It's sunny. They're wearing lanyards. There's a guide dog in the foreground
Deputy Minister Mark Hooper MS speaking to the group during our Walk and Talk

Mark discussed the future of walking, wheeling and cycling with a wide range of organisations and stakeholders. He reaffirmed his commitment to making active travel a government priority and welcomed the opportunity to hear directly from people working across transport, accessibility, health and local communities.

We were also pleased to welcome Senedd Members Nick Carter, Rebecca Phillips and Leticia Gonzalez, alongside representatives from Guide Dogs, First Bus, Transport Focus, local businesses and Cycling UK’s Wales Advisory Group.

The conversations highlighted how important it is to consider walking, cycling and public transport together, ensuring people have genuine choices about how they get around.

Another welcome outcome was Mark’s enthusiasm for working with the Senedd’s Cross-Party Group on Active Travel. He recognised the group’s important role in scrutinising government policy and agreed to attend its first meeting.

A group of people are standing on a promenade. It's sunny and you can see the bay in the background. One person is holding a bike. A couple of people have guide dogs

Conversations at our conference stand

We were also delighted to have a Cycling UK stand in the conference exhibition hall, giving us the opportunity to meet delegates, Senedd Members, councillors and other visitors throughout the weekend.

It was a great chance to share our latest report, The Way Forward, hear about local cycling issues and discuss how we can work together to make cycling safer and more accessible across the country.

At our stand, the Tour de France was also a recurring topic of conversation.

With the world’s biggest cycle race coming to Wales in July 2027, there is a tremendous opportunity to inspire more people to cycle, support local businesses and showcase Wales as a cycling destination.

But the real measure of success shouldn’t simply be the number of spectators lining the route. It should be what the event leaves behind. We discussed this with First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth and Minister for Sport and Culture Heledd Fychan MS, raising the importance of a legacy that extends beyond competitive sport and into everyday life.

Two women are standing in front of a table in a conference room. The table is covered with an orange Cycling UK cloth and brochures and there are posters behind it
Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport Heledd Fychan MS visits our stand

From national ambitions to local delivery

Conversations with councillors from across Wales were another valuable part of the conference.

From Ynys Môn and Gwynedd to Ceredigion, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, we discussed opportunities to improve local routes, support community cycling and overcome the challenges involved in delivering new infrastructure.

Among the topics were the development of routes on Anglesey, opportunities for bike buses in Gwynedd and the importance of connecting communities through safe, accessible cycling infrastructure. These discussions also highlighted familiar challenges around funding, costs and the time it can take to turn plans into improvements on the ground.

We know there is considerable enthusiasm for cycling across Wales. What local authorities need is the support, resources and long-term certainty to deliver the routes and networks that communities deserve.

Looking ahead

We also caught up with Senedd Members and ministers about the wider benefits of cycling, including tourism, local economies and access to work, education and services.

Two people (a man and a woman) are standing in front of a table in a conference room. The table is covered with an orange Cycling UK cloth and brochures and there are posters behind it
Lindsay Whittle, Senedd Member for Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni, visits our stand

There was encouraging interest in our upcoming glow rides on 22 October, part of Cycling UK’s ‘My ride. Our right’ campaign, which is calling for more to be done for women and girls to feel safer when walking, wheeling and cycling.

Plaid Cymru’s first conference as the party of government provided a valuable opportunity to build relationships and make the case for cycling at every level of decision-making.

We will continue working with the Welsh government, Senedd Members from across the political spectrum, local authorities and communities to ensure that more people have the freedom to choose cycling for their everyday journeys.

And if the Llandudno sunshine could become a regular feature of party conference season, that would be welcome too!

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