WELSH ministers have been accused of “hypocrisy” after racking up enough mileage through the government’s car scheme in just two years to circumnavigate the globe 11 times.
Janet Finch-Saunders, the Welsh Conservative shadow climate change minister, said the government should be “leading by example” as they encourage the public to “join the green revolution”.
In a written question to the former first minister Mark Drakeford, Ms Finch-Saunders asked for the “total number of miles that ministerial cars have undertaken in the last two years”.
Mr Drakeford said the total mileage undertaken by Welsh Government Official Car Service vehicles since 2022/23 was 278,969.
That mileage is enough to travel around the Earth’s equator not once but 11 times - or more than 2,000 journeys from the bottom to the top of Wales.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said ministers always seek to take alternative means of transport where possible.
“This revelation undermines Labour’s green credentials and their hypocrisy is plain to see,” Ms Finch-Saunders said.
“It is beyond belief that Labour ministers are preaching to the public to ditch private cars and take up public transport, while at the same time living the life of luxury being ferried around in chauffeur-driven gas-guzzling cars.
“They should be leading by example, especially as they are constantly banging the drum about people joining the green revolution.”
Shadow transport minister Natasha Asghar MS said: “Once again there appears to be one rule for the public and a different rule for Labour ministers.”
She also accused Welsh Labour of a “war on motorists” while “racking up the mileage in their ministerial chauffeur-driven cars”.
A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said: “While ministers will always seek to take alternative means of transport where possible, it is sometimes necessary to travel by car to attend official government engagements.
“In addition to security considerations, Ministers will continue to work if travelling by car, including participating in virtual meetings and calls, which are often confidential in nature.
"The decarbonisation of the car fleet is ongoing, balanced by the need to avoid excessive cost to the taxpayer. Seven diesel cars have already been replaced with three all-electric cars and four hybrid vehicles. A further three hybrid vehicles are on order to replace diesel vehicles.”
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