English: It's not often that I agree entirely with something from Members from other political parties, but this is one of those occasions. I would also like to place on record my support for opening the Abernant tunnel in the Cynon valley, and any other tunnel in Wales that would prove beneficial for the local communities that it would serve. As a Member for the Rhondda, I'm sure you would expect me to focus on that constituency for the rest of my contribution. There are undoubted positive impacts that the tunnel between Blaencwm and Blaengwynfi could have for the Rhondda. When the Rhondda Tunnel Society was formed in 2014, their determination, enthusiasm and momentum were admirable. I'm a member of the Rhondda Tunnel Society, so I must declare an interest as well as declare my staunch support for the society in this debate. While much has been achieved in the time that they've been set up, their efforts have been hampered by this question of ownership. I've got letters going back more than three years, asking the Welsh Government to take responsibility for this asset so that the project can move to the next stage, and I can't tell you how frustrating it is that this matter has not been resolved as we approach 2020. I know that that frustration is shared by the very patient and forgiving members of the Rhondda Tunnel Society. The members of the society are not looking for a blank cheque from the Welsh Government or any admission of liability. They are more than willing to accept any arrangement that absolves the Welsh Government of financial expense just so that they can have the tunnel back where it belongs, in Welsh hands. This will allow them, then, to apply for grants and funding from other sources. Without this ownership matter resolved, we remain in a deadlock. We know that there's no obstruction coming from England over the tunnel's ownership. I established three years ago that they had no objections to giving back the tunnel to Wales. I also understand that correspondence was sent to the Welsh Government in 2017 from the UK Department for Transport offering ownership of the Rhondda tunnel and £60,000 to reflect savings to that department in survey costs. The UK Department for Transport are still waiting for a reply to that offer. So, I really hope we can end the stalling now and make some progress. The Rhondda tunnel could be the catalyst for the cycle infrastructure that we've been crying out for in the Rhondda Fawr for years. It would help promote activity, thus tackling the obesity epidemic that we face as a society. It would also facilitate car-free local journeys, helping us to fulfil our responsibility to reduce the carbon that we emit into the atmosphere. It has the potential to be a big draw for tourists - not just cyclists, but also walkers. Just imagine the boost that this could provide for local businesses. Other countries have maximised their cycle tourism, and it's time that Wales did the same. So, whilst the last three years have been something of a wasted opportunity as far as the ownership question is concerned, it's not too late to see this project succeed. Let's grasp the opportunity that is presented to us from the legacy of our industrial past and put it to good use.
Welsh: Nid yn aml y cytunaf yn llwyr â rhywbeth gan Aelodau o bleidiau gwleidyddol eraill, ond mae hwn yn un o'r achlysuron hynny. Hoffwn hefyd gofnodi fy nghefnogaeth i agor twnnel Aber-nant yng nghwm Cynon, ac unrhyw dwnnel arall yng Nghymru a fyddai'n fuddiol i'r cymunedau lleol y byddai'n eu gwasanaethu. Fel Aelod dros y Rhondda, rwy'n siŵr y byddech yn disgwyl i mi ganolbwyntio ar yr etholaeth honno am weddill fy nghyfraniad. Gallai'r twnnel rhwng Blaen-cwm a Blaengwynfi sicrhau effeithiau cadarnhaol diamheuol ar gyfer y Rhondda. Pan ffurfiwyd Cymdeithas Twnnel y Rhondda yn 2014, roedd eu penderfyniad, eu brwdfrydedd a'u momentwm yn ganmoladwy. Rwy'n aelod o Gymdeithas Twnnel y Rhondda, felly mae'n rhaid i mi ddatgan buddiant yn ogystal â datgan fy nghefnogaeth gadarn i'r gymdeithas yn y ddadl hon. Er bod llawer wedi'i gyflawni ers iddi gael ei sefydlu, mae'r cwestiwn o berchenogaeth wedi llesteirio'u hymdrechion. Mae gennyf lythyrau sy'n dyddio'n ôl fwy na thair blynedd yn gofyn i Lywodraeth Cymru gymryd cyfrifoldeb am yr ased hwn er mwyn i'r prosiect allu symud i'r cam nesaf, ac ni allaf ddweud wrthych pa mor rhwystredig yw hi nad yw'r mater hwn wedi'i ddatrys a ninnau'n nesáu at 2020. Gwn fod aelodau tra amyneddgar a maddeugar Cymdeithas Twnnel y Rhondda yn rhannu'r rhwystredigaeth honno. Nid yw aelodau'r gymdeithas yn chwilio am siec wag gan Lywodraeth Cymru nac unrhyw addefiad o atebolrwydd. Maent yn fwy na pharod i dderbyn unrhyw drefniant sy'n rhyddhau Llywodraeth Cymru o gost ariannol fel y gallant sicrhau bod y twnnel yn ôl lle mae'n perthyn, mewn dwylo Cymreig. Bydd hyn yn caniatáu iddynt wneud cais wedyn am grantiau a chyllid o ffynonellau eraill. Os na chaiff y mater perchnogaeth ei ddatrys, byddwn yn parhau i fethu gwneud dim. Gwyddom nad oes unrhyw rwystr o gyfeiriad Lloegr o ran perchnogaeth y twnnel. Dair blynedd yn ôl, sefydlais nad oedd ganddynt unrhyw wrthwynebiad i roi'r twnnel yn ôl i Gymru. Rwyf hefyd yn deall bod Adran Drafnidiaeth y DU wedi anfon gohebiaeth at Lywodraeth Cymru yn 2017 yn cynnig perchnogaeth twnnel y Rhondda a £60,000 i adlewyrchu arbedion i'r adran honno mewn costau arolygon. Mae Adran Drafnidiaeth y DU yn dal i aros am ateb i'r cynnig hwnnw. Felly, rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr y gallwn roi terfyn ar y oedi yn awr a gwneud rhywfaint o gynnydd. Gallai twnnel y Rhondda fod yn gatalydd i'r seilwaith beicio rydym wedi bod yn crefu amdano yn Rhondda Fawr ers blynyddoedd. Byddai'n helpu i hyrwyddo gweithgaredd, gan fynd i'r afael â'r epidemig o ordewdra a wynebwn fel cymdeithas. Byddai hefyd yn hwyluso teithiau lleol di-gar, gan ein helpu i gyflawni ein cyfrifoldeb i leihau'r carbon rydym yn ei allyrru i'r atmosffer. Mae ganddo'r potensial i fod yn atyniad mawr i dwristiaid - nid beicwyr yn unig, ond cerddwyr hefyd. Dychmygwch yr hwb y gallai ei roi i fusnesau lleol. Mae gwledydd eraill wedi manteisio i'r eithaf ar eu twristiaeth feicio, ac mae'n bryd i Gymru wneud yr un peth. Felly, er bod y tair blynedd diwethaf wedi bod yn wastraff cyfle o ran y cwestiwn perchnogaeth, nid yw'n rhy hwyr i weld y prosiect hwn yn llwyddo. Beth am fachu ar y cyfle a gyflwynir i ni o waddol ein gorffennol diwydiannol a gwneud defnydd da ohono.