Lis McLean MS has called on the UK Government to provide additional long-term funding to address the legacy of coal tips across Wales.
In the last Senedd, there was strong cross-party support for improving coal tip safety, which led to the passing of the Unused Mines and Quarries Dumps (Wales) Act 2025. The legislation will see a new Unused Dumps Authority established in Merthyr Tydfil, creating around 60 skilled jobs.
The Act led both the Welsh and UK Governments to commit more than £100 million towards coal tip safety. However, significant concerns remain about whether current funding levels are sufficient to address the scale of the challenge facing communities across the Valleys.
Wales continues to live with the legacy of its industrial past, and many communities remain in the shadow of disused coal tips that require ongoing monitoring, maintenance and restoration. Given the extent of the work required, serious questions remain as to whether the restoration programme promised by the UK Government goes far enough.
Speaking on the issue, Lis McLean MS said:
“The establishment of the Authority is an important step forward in managing and monitoring Wales’s coal tip legacy, while also bringing valuable employment opportunities to the local area.
“However, while I welcome the investment made by both the Welsh and UK Governments, it is clear that the scale of Wales’s coal tip legacy requires a long-term commitment and potentially much greater resources.
“Communities across the Valleys deserve confidence that the risks associated with disused coal tips are being fully addressed. The legacy of coal extraction in Wales predates devolution, and the UK Government must recognise the unique challenges Wales faces and ensure that restoration funding matches the scale of the task ahead.”
Related Posts
Not in the public interest to inform locations of dangerous coal tips that remain a legacy left by the National Coal Board in our valleys
Update on 21st Century Schools investment for Greater Pontypridd
Not in the public interest to publish? The Welsh Government has categorised each coal tip so why has the list of dangerous coal tips not been published?