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Yes, I move.
Contributions
108 contributions on record. Newest first, by sitting day. Page 2 of 3. Counted by Siambr
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Lywydd, rydw i'n ddiolchgar am y cyfle i ymateb i'r pwyntiau a godwyd gan Aelodau y prynhawn yma. Gadewch imi ddechrau drwy ddweud nad yw diogelwch ar y ffyrdd yn fater pleidiol i sgorio pwyntiau gwleidyddol arno. Mae pob marwolaeth ar y ffyrdd yn drasiedi. Gall pob anaf difrifol newid bywyd am byth, gan effeithio nid yn unig ar yr unigolyn, ond hefyd ar y teulu, ffrindiau a'r gymuned.
Official English translation
Llywydd, I'm grateful for the opportunity to respond to the points raised by Members this afternoon. Let me start by saying that road safety is not a political issue to score political points with. Every road death is a tragedy. Every serious injury can change people's lives forever, impacting not only the individual, but also the family, friends and the whole community.
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Firstly, just to set the tone, I wrote to all the business managers here this morning, and I copied the Llywydd in, to make sure that we were dealing with facts, so that we had a factual representation. And I thank you, Vikki, for pointing to that in your contribution a few minutes ago. I was really disappointed early on to hear the 91 being repeated here. Let's just be clear that that isn't related to 91 deaths on 20 mph or 30 mph roads; that's across the piece. So, if we're going to talk about something that's related to 20 mph and 30 mph, like Vikki, I would like that to be explained when Jason wraps up. The other thing I'd like to say is that the motion before us from Reform didn't make any of the caveats that have been referenced in the contributions from behind me, some of which have been worth while. We were clearly concerned, when we were in opposition in the last Senedd, to make sure that Labour, in time, dealt with this proposal in a different way, and I think even the Labour benches would probably agree with that position now anyway. But it does concern me that we're continually going back over this old ground without dealing with the facts in front of us. This Government is absolutely committed to reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on Welsh roads. The responsibility for road safety is shared between all those who use the roads, those who design, regulate, manage and operate the transport system, and those who enforce its rules. We all have a part to play. This Government is clear that the 20 mph speed limit in areas where pedestrians and cyclists mix with motorised vehicles is fundamentally the right policy. The evidence so far points absolutely in the right direction. There are many fewer collisions and fewer people injured on these roads now. This supports the aim we should all share of no family having to grieve a loved one because of an avoidable tragedy. It is important that this debate is grounded in evidence rather than assertion. Much has been said about the impact of 20 mph over the last three years, but the laws of physics are clear, and Gwyn referenced this earlier—I'm just building on that—a small increase in speed creates a much larger increase in collision energy. This means a car travelling at 30 mph carries 2.25 times more kinetic energy than the same car travelling at 20 mph. A vehicle at 30 mph needs almost twice the distance to stop as a vehicle at 20 mph. Driver reaction time increases from about 6m to 9m when comparing the two, meaning there is less time to perceive hazards. That is why, at 20 mph, collisions are more likely to be avoidable, and if they occur, they are considerably more survivable than collisions at 30 mph. It is true that 91 people were killed in collisions in Wales in 2025, and one thing I'm really disappointed about in this debate is when we've talked about people's lives lost, I've heard laughter and derision from the benches behind me. This is a serious matter, and we hear this again and again and again. That's even more people than in 2024, but five fewer than the last calendar year before the introduction of the 20 mph default speed limit. Despite 84 and 91 fatalities in 2024 and 2025 respectively, there were only 19 fatalities on 20 mph roads. That is 19 too many, let's be clear, but that's a big reduction. The number of casualties on 20 mph and 30 mph combined is 23 per cent lower than in 2022, before the speed limit came into force. Road casualty numbers fluctuate from year to year. It has always been acknowledged that this will take several years of monitoring and evaluation before firm conclusions can be drawn. That is the responsible position, but, equally, it is not accurate to suggest that the evidence demonstrates the policy is, and I use quotes, 'clearly not working'. The published data simply does not support that conclusion. The same applies when looking at speeds and journey times. Transport for Wales has undertaken extensive monitoring on behalf of the Welsh Government. That monitoring has shown reductions in average vehicle speeds on roads affected by the policy. It has also shown that the impact on journey times is measured in seconds for many journeys, with journey times actually becoming more reliable on 45 of the 60 roads monitored. Some drivers may experience very slightly longer journey times, and I understand that frustration, but it is important that we deal with facts. We've heard repeated claims that the policy cost Wales £9 billion. That is not what the regulatory impact assessment says. The regulatory impact assessment applied standard UK transport appraisal methodology, which monetised changes in journey times. While this provides a useful measure of travel time impacts, it does not fully reflect the wider purpose of the policy. Adopting a broader conception of value, it is clear that a marginal increase in travel time is more than justified where it saves lives and improves safety, public health and quality of life. From that perspective, the primary question is not whether journey times are marginally longer, but whether Wales becomes a safer, healthier and better place in which to live for current and future generations. While the theoretical figures applied to travel time impacts are a commonly used tool, they do not and are incapable of reflecting the wider real impacts. The policy is intended to save lives and reduce injuries. Compared to figures on 20 mph and 30 mph roads in England, casualties in Wales have reduced at a three times greater rate between 2022 and 2025. Whilst I and this Government stand over the fundamentals of this policy, I will also freely admit—and I think others will, even on the Labour benches—that there were issues with the initial implementation under our predecessors. And some of the points that Helen made earlier fall into that category. Plaid Cymru's proposal and a balanced and flexible approach to implementation were supported by a majority in the last Senedd; they could and should have been adopted from the outset. One of the clear lessons from implementation was that there were inconsistencies in how the policy was applied by councils across Wales, and that there were roads where local people felt that different speed limits would be more appropriate. Those concerns were heard, and as we've heard this afternoon, local authorities acted on those concerns. The previous Welsh Government did eventually revise its guidance, clarifying criteria, working closely with local authorities and empowering highway authorities to review roads in light of local circumstances. Councils across Wales have reassessed sections of the network, engaged with communities, considered local evidence and, where appropriate, made changes. I'll make one final point, if I may. Some people wanted every road to remain at 20 mph, others wanted every road to revert to 30 mph. However, the feedback from local authorities was clear. When asked, their residents did not want their own road to return to 30 mph. We therefore want to continue with this more pragmatic approach: the right speed on the right road, informed by evidence and community engagement. I therefore urge Members this evening to vote on the amendment from the Government. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
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Are you going to talk about road safety?
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Diolch am y cwestiwn, Vikki. Rydyn ni eisiau ei gwneud hi’n haws i fwy o bobl deithio ar fws ac ar drên ym Mhontypridd Cynon Merthyr. Mae hyn yn golygu bysiau a threnau sy’n gweithio’n well gyda’i gilydd, prisiau teg, a gwasanaethau sy’n dod ar amser. Mae metro de Cymru yn rhan bwysig o’r gwaith hwn. Rydyn ni hefyd yn rhoi arian i wella bysiau lleol a llefydd fel gorsaf Merthyr.
Official English translation
Thank you for the question, Vikki. We want to make it easier for more people to travel on buses and trains in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr. That means better connections between bus and rail, keeping fares fair and providing reliable services. The south Wales metro is central to this work. We are also investing in improving local bus services and improving interchanges such as Merthyr.
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This Government is committed to buses being a key part of the transport infrastructure, especially for those people who maybe cannot afford and don't have access to a private car. We've made sure that the bus fare for young people is continued and that's a commitment throughout the term of this Government. It was in the programme for government that we talked about yesterday. We're looking forward to seeing the consequentials come in, but, as an ex-Minister, you know that the consequentials come into the Government, the Government then decides on the priorities it sets to that. You've seen the priorities in the programme for government yesterday. But if I can give you one reassurance, I think that bus services are one of the key things that this Government will be differentiating itself for over the next four years, because we recognise the importance of them to those people who are furthest away from their own transport solutions.
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Thank you for the question, David. I think the key thing for this is actually starting to recognise the truth of the matter. We've got a Transport for Wales service that's hitting its time targets ahead of everyone else in the UK. The latest statistics show that Transport for Wales was hitting over 80 per cent within three minutes of its required time. So, it is providing the service it needs to provide. The second part of this is about making sure we have the funding to be able to invest in that infrastructure. If I remember, when we talked about rail devolution when I came to this Siambr relatively recently, the benches behind me were against us having extra rail devolution, which is for precisely the same reasons that you're asking the questions. We want to make sure that people can access jobs, healthcare and just make society work. I'm just going to reiterate a point I made to Vikki a few seconds ago. This is important for us in terms of not just rail transport, it's important to us from a bus perspective as well, and I think that's going to be key for these four years ahead.
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Diolch am y cwestiwn, Lis.
Official English translation
Thank you for the question, Lis.
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I think there are a couple of things here. One, it's very complicated. I think one of the things that learner travel has shown me is that this is probably the biggest difficult problem I've got on my horizon, excepting that I've got the M4 and the Menai on that as well. So, it shows the complexity of it. And I think it's been shown by this Government that we've taken this on as a cross-portfolio opportunity, because, as you say, this affects—. We're talking about education and Welsh learner education, but also post-16 education. And one of the things that I found most disconcerting is that, ultimately, learner travel and learner transport should be an enabler of people's education; it should not be a disenabler. So, this Government is keen and it was in our 100-day commitment. We've started work on it, particularly in relation to the Welsh language first, but then we're going to be focusing on post-16 education and, following that, it'll be additional learning needs learner transport as well.
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I hesitate to thank you for the question, Jason, but I will do out of courtesy. At the business statement last week, you were reminded to use data carefully, and you used the same data now as you used then. This data doesn't relate to 20 mph. Let's give you the actual data: in 2025, there were 1,469 collisions on roads with 20 mph and 30 mph speed limits combined, which is 2 per cent higher than in 2024, when there were 1,445. But it is the second lowest annual number ever recorded in Wales. So, this proves that, when we've reduced speed limits, it's actually reduced collisions. And I've heard it from people over the other side of the Siambr, and I appreciate it. This saves children's lives. This is a policy that this Government supports. We recognise there were ways we could have done it better; we talked about that throughout the last term, and I think we'd say the same thing again. However, we've got to make sure we follow the evidence, and when the evidence gets polluted by words that aren't actually true, it distorts things. The one thing that I'm sure that I'm going to make sure I do is that I am evidence led; I'm not going to be just led by rhetoric that is from the benches behind.
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Do you know, it's great when you see young people in the Chamber looking down, and looking down at what we're talking about today? It's with them in mind that I support this policy, because, ultimately, this is not about dogma, this is about safety and particularly children's safety. So, this is something that this Government supports; I think it sounds like it's got support from across other parts of the Siambr. Because, when it comes to dogma, there's no party more interested in dogma than the party behind me when they're talking about things like this. Ultimately, I care more about those children who are up there than I do about answering questions that are like this.
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The Member is well aware that we're going to be coming back to this Siambr on 6 October with an update based on evidence. The reason we want evidence is to make sure that we make the right decisions and we don't—. We're not kicking the can down the road, we're actually making the right decisions based on what the evidence tells us. As he knows, as do other transport spokespeople in this room, I've made sure that I'm going to share that evidence ahead of this meeting, so we'll be in the position that this Siambr will be able to talk about things that actually are important, that actually matter. Because then, hopefully, we'll come to some consensus. The M4 isn't straightforward. Let's be honest. The M4, as a road, was built as part of the infrastructure around Newport. So, it's not just about the M4—this is about intra-Newport issues as much as it is about the M4. That's what this Government is going to do. I look forward to debating that on 6 October when we can talk about evidence.
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Diolch, Lywydd. Rwy'n falch o gael cyfle i siarad yn y ddadl hon heddiw. Mae tagfeydd yn fater diddorol i lawer o bobl yng Nghaerdydd a'r cyffiniau.
Official English translation
Thank you, Llywydd. I'm pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this debate today. Congestion is an issue that many people in Cardiff and the surrounding area will be interested in.
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This debate starts with a very straightforward question: how do we make journeys better? The motion quite rightly focuses on motorists in Cardiff and the surrounding region, and I think we should take that seriously. I take that seriously. Congestion is one of those issues that almost everyone has experienced. It affects commuters travelling to work, businesses making deliveries, parents taking their children to school and people attending appointments. It can increase costs, reduce productivity and create frustration for those who simply want to get to where they need to be on time. But I think it is important that we are honest about the nature of the challenge. Cardiff is a major centre for employment, public services and economic activity in the south-east of the country. It attracts significant numbers of people every day from surrounding areas and further afield. That success brings economic opportunities for Cardiff and the wider region, but it also places significant pressures on the transport network. Cars and roads remain a vital part of that network. Any serious transport strategy must recognise that reality. That is why the Welsh Government's approach is focusing on improving connectivity across the whole network. For me, there are three realities we need to recognise. The first is that we need to make better use of the roads we already have. There are practical things that we can do: better management of incidents and roadworks, better information for drivers, making sure junctions and traffic signals operate as effectively as possible and understanding where the real constraints are so that we target investment where it can make a genuine difference. If there is a problem with a network, we should be prepared to tackle it. Roads matter. They carry people, goods, emergency services and businesses. They are not an optional extra in our transport system and we should not pretend that they are, and I don't pretend that they are. But the second reality is that we cannot build our way out of congestion. There will always be a temptation to respond to congestion by adding more road capacity; we've heard a bit of that already. Sometimes that will be the right thing to do, but it is not automatically the right thing to do and we should be wary of assuming that more road space will, by itself, solve the problem. More road space can attract more traffic, and, if we respond to every increase in traffic with another road building project, we can find ourselves spending more and more without ever really getting ahead of the problem.
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This is not an argument against investment. It is an argument for being disciplined about where we invest, what we are trying to achieve, and whether the evidence tells us that an intervention will actually work. And that matters particularly when public money is under pressure. We have choices to make and we need to be able to explain why we are making them. The third reality is probably the most important. If we want to make life better for motorists, which we do, we also need to make sure that not every journey is made by car. That may sound counterintuitive, but it isn't. If someone can make the journey by train, bus, bike or on foot, there is one less vehicle competing for the same limited road space. So, public transport is not anti-motorist. It is one of the ways we help the people who need to drive. That is why the south Wales metro matters. It means better, more reliable and more frequent rail services between the Valleys and Cardiff. It is why our £70 million investment in Cardiff Central, and the new tramway between Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bay, matters. It's also why bus reform matters, and it is why bus priority, better interchanges, active travel and better regional connections all matter. Because giving people a genuine alternative to the car isn't about telling them what to do. It is about giving them a choice. Frankly, people are much more likely to leave the car at home when the alternative is good enough to make them want to. This is the standard we should be aiming at: a bus that turns up, a train that people can rely on, a safe route to walk or cycle, and interchanges that actually work. A transport system that feels like one system, rather than a series of disconnected services. That's the ambition of one network, one timetable and one ticket. It is why regional planning actually matters. Because Cardiff's congestion is not simply a Cardiff problem. People travelling to Cardiff every day from Caerphilly, the Vale, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bristol, and across the wider region, they don't stop being commuters when they cross the council boundary, and they certainly don't care which organisation is responsible for that particular stretch of road they are sitting on. They just want the journey to work. So, our planning needs to reflect how people live and travel. The south-east Wales corporate joint committee provides an important framework for doing that. Because the transport network is a system. If we only look at individual roads, individual modes or individual local authority boundaries, we risk missing how the system actually behaves and how a problem in one place can quickly create a problem elsewhere. That brings me to demand management. Cardiff Council is exploring the potential for a workplace parking levy. I recognise this is controversial, but I don't think it helps to reduce the debate to whether a workplace parking levy is simply good or bad. The proper questions are: what problem are we trying to solve? What would the intervention achieve? Who would pay? Who would benefit? What alternatives would people have? The current position is clear. There are no plans for the Welsh Government to bring forward the secondary legislation that would be required to enable a workplace parking levy in Wales. But I don't think that means we should stop thinking about the wider question. Our roads are under pressure, and we need to be willing to have an honest conversation about how we manage that pressure. If proposals come forward in future, they would need to be evidence led, properly assessed, fair, and subject to the appropriate consultation and statutory processes. There is a simple principle I would apply: demand management should never be about making lives harder for the sake of it. If we ask people to change how they travel, we need to give them something better to travel on. That means better public transport, better active travel, better regional connectivity, and a road network that is properly managed for the people who still need to use it. So, what would actually improve the lives of motorists? I think the answer is practical. It means more reliable journeys, fewer avoidable delays, better management of roadworks and incidents, and smarter use of the roads we already have. It also means helping more people to walk, wheel and cycle shorter everyday journeys so that road space is available. It also means providing alternatives that are good enough to take pressure off the roads. None of this is anti-motorist. In fact, I would argue exactly the opposite. If we can get more people onto reliable buses and trains, we create more space on the roads for the people who need to drive. If we make short journeys easier to walk and cycle, we take pressure off the network; if we manage incidents, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. But we should also be wary of the easy answer. There is no silver bullet for congestion, there is no one road scheme, one bus scheme or one policy that will solve everything. The answer is to understand the problem properly and then use the right combination of interventions to tackle it. Sometimes that will mean making better use of the road network that we already have. Sometimes it will mean investment in infrastructure. Sometimes it will mean better transport, and sometimes it may mean managing demand. The important thing is that we start with the problem, not the intervention, because improving the lives of motorists is not about promising that every journey will be congestion free. That is not realistic. It's about making the network more reliable, making better use of capacity and dealing with problems. Ultimately, this is about people's time. Time spent in traffic is time people don't get back. It's time that could be spent working, with family, caring, or simply getting on with life. So, the test for us should be whether the decisions we take make those everyday journeys more reliable, more predictable and less frustrating. That means the Welsh Government and Cardiff Council—the Government are here to help—working together with our regional partners, looking at the network as a whole, rather than a collection of separate responsibilities. It means being prepared to tackle difficult problems, but also being honest about what different interventions can and cannot achieve. And crucially, it involves putting evidence ahead of easy answers because, ultimately, people are not asking us to win an argument about cars, they are asking us to make their lives easier. They want to know that when they leave home in the morning, they have a reasonable chance of getting where they need to be on time. They want a transport system that works. This is the ambition we should share, and I think we do, for motorists, for passengers, for businesses and for communities across Cardiff and the wider region. Not transport policy for its own sake, but a transport system that works better for everyday lives.
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Mae'n rhaid inni weithio gyda'n gilydd i wneud trafnidiaeth yn haws ac yn fwy dibynadwy. Mae hyn yn bwysig i yrwyr, teithwyr, busnesau a chymunedau. Diolch.
Official English translation
We must work together to make transport more accessible and more reliable. This is important to drivers, passengers, businesses and communities. Thank you.
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Yn ysbryd y sgwrs sydd newydd fod, rwy’n dysgu Cymraeg. Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae'n bleser gen i ddiweddaru'r Aelodau am y cynnydd yr ydym yn ei wneud ar ein hymrwymiadau ar gyfer y 100 diwrnod cyntaf ar y llwybr at ddatganoli gwasanaethau a seilwaith rheilffyrdd yn llawn. Heddiw, hoffwn esbonio ein gweledigaeth ar gyfer datganoli rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru, ac, yn bwysig, sut y byddwn yn bwrw ymlaen gyda llwybr clir a chredadwy i'w gyflawni.
Official English translation
In the spirit of the conversation that we've just had, I am a Welsh learner. I'm pleased to provide Members with an update on the progress that we are making regarding our first 100 days commitments on the pathway to the full devolution of rail services and infrastructure. Today, I want to explain our vision for the devolution of rail in Wales, and, importantly, how we will take forward a clear and credible pathway to achieve it.
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Railways are more than steel tracks and timetables, they are the arteries of our nation, connecting people to jobs, to education, to family and opportunity. When our railways work well, Wales works well. When they fall short, communities and the nation’s prosperity are held back. The current system for our railways is fragmented. Infrastructure is largely controlled at a UK level. Unlike the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government has no control over rail infrastructure investment. Accountability is shared in respect of the services delivered jointly by the Welsh and UK Governments, but not the levers to drive change. That means that decisions affecting passengers in Wales are too often made elsewhere, without the full alignment of Welsh priorities. For decades, the UK Government has failed to invest in the Welsh rail network and has instead allowed it to decline. The network in Wales makes up around 10 per cent of the total British network by track length, yet, over the past 15 years, Wales has received only 1.5 per cent of the total investment in enhancements. And starkly, only 9 per cent of the network is electrified, largely as a result of the core Valleys lines, compared to 45 per cent in England and 33 per cent in Scotland. And parties across the Siambr have acknowledged the unfairness of HS2 funding. We have lost out on consequential funding of £850 million up to the end of this spending review period, and that figure is growing exponentially now that the UK Government assesses that HS2 will now cost more than £100 billion. In comparison, the Scottish Government has received around £1.3 billion additional funding as a result of comparability with HS2, up to the end of the current spending review period. The Northern Ireland Executive has received around £0.5 billion. Our ambition is to change that. We have a vision of a devolved rail network, where rail services are designed around the needs of our people, our communities and our economy. Transport for Wales has already demonstrated what would be possible if Wales was responsible for both track and train. Through the transformation of the core Valleys lines, they have demonstrated that Wales can successfully own, manage and deliver major rail infrastructure transformation, which will change the lives of people in the south of the country, through better connecting communities and making them a more attractive place for businesses to start and grow. Our vision is to see that replicated throughout Wales, developing Cardiff Crossrail to make it easier for people to travel sustainably through our capital; building new stations in the south west, through the Swansea bay and west Wales metro; increasing rail capacity in the north of Wales through network north Wales; and increasing capacity through the middle of the country on the Marches line. This would be transformational to connectivity in Wales, but it will only be possible to deliver in full with the right powers and funding. Today, I want to set out the steps that we will take to move towards this vision, pursuing further devolution in a phased pragmatic way. Our first action will be to work constructively with the Department for Transport to deliver improvements under the current system. The UK Government recognised its historical lack of investment in Welsh railways in February and committed to funding Transport for Wales's £14 billion rail vision. Through the UK and Welsh Government Wales rail board, we will work constructively with them to agree priorities and a timeline for this funding and develop a credible pipeline of schemes, but we will also hold them to account to deliver on their promise for Wales. The Wales rail board also provides an opportunity for us to press that the schemes announced in the 2025 spending review are delivered at pace in this spending review period that runs up to 2029-30. In particular, I'll be focusing on how we can accelerate delivery of the Burns stations to offer greater connectivity and alternatives to M4 travel, and I expect Network Rail to work closely with Transport for Wales so that we can deliver these stations as quickly as possible. Secondly, the UK Government’s Railways Bill represents a significant moment of change, and we need to ensure the Bill works for Wales in a way consistent with our pathway to devolution. For the UK, it proposes a new public body, Great British Railways, to bring together track and train across Great Britain. It also introduces new mechanisms for collaboration between Governments, including a memorandum of understanding between the UK and Welsh Governments. But we must also be clear: the Bill does not fundamentally change where power sits; it does not provide Wales with control over rail infrastructure, its funding or investment decisions. As currently drafted, I have serious concerns about how a number of the clauses in the Bill affect the role of Welsh Ministers and this Senedd. I have already set these out to the UK rail Minister, seeking further engagement on how our aspirations for rail can be safeguarded and furthered. He has committed to urgent discussions so that we can ensure the current reforms secure better outcomes for Wales. To address these concerns, I will seek to ensure the Bill firstly enables a statutory underpinning for the role of Welsh Ministers and the MOU, enables parity for Transport for Wales and a deepening of the partnership with Great British Railways, and enables protection and enhancement of the devolved competence of the Senedd in respect of railways. These actions can improve how decisions are made, ensuring Wales has a stronger voice and clearer influence, making a difference to passengers. Thirdly, our manifesto commits us to negotiating fairer rail funding for Wales, and this remains central to our approach. Later this afternoon, we will hear from the Prif Weinidog, setting out our priorities for fair funding, something that is felt egregiously when it comes to rail. I have already written to the Secretary of State for Transport to set this out, and the Cabinet Minister for Finance will press for changes that recognise the reality of rail in Wales, including funding arrangements that reflect our responsibilities, recognition of Welsh Government ownership of infrastructure such as the core Valleys lines, and a fair share of investment to address historic underfunding. Without fair funding, devolution cannot succeed. With it, we can unlock transformational change. Finally, we will make the case for full devolution for Wales. That means decisions over rail funding taken not in Westminster but in Wales, as is already the case in Scotland; track and train integrated in Wales, as UK Government are seeking to do in England, with infrastructure devolved to Wales along with services on the network; and for cross-border infrastructure and services, a partnership role for Wales with UK Government and GBR to deliver effective management. This would provide a step change in our ability to align investment with Welsh needs, whilst managing risk in a balanced way. This Government wants to see a new Wales Bill to legislate for this and further powers for the Welsh Ministers, to give us the tools to improve the lives of people in Wales. I fully expect to work with UK Ministers to explore the pathway to achieving these objectives, whilst ensuring the Welsh rail network remains fully integrated with the wider GB rail network and continues to provide seamless connectivity.
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Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae ein gweledigaeth yn glir. Rydym ni eisiau rheilffordd sydd wedi ei chynllunio yng Nghymru, wedi ei chyflawni yng Nghymru ac yn atebol i bobl Cymru. Fydd y daith ddim yn digwydd dros nos, ond mae gyda ni lwybr a'r penderfyniad i wireddu. Pan fydd ein rhwydwaith trafnidiaeth yn llwyddo, mae Cymru yn gweithio yn well. Diolch.
Official English translation
Dirprwy Lywydd, our vision is clear. We want a railway that is designed in Wales, that is delivered in Wales and that is accountable to the people of Wales. The journey will not happen overnight, but we now have a pathway and the determination to see it through. When our transport network succeeds, Wales works better. Diolch.
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Thank you for the question, I think, Jason. We enjoyed our first conversation when we met to talk about these issues, and I hope to have more of those constructive conversations into the future, and perhaps we spend our time talking about transport, which is the job I'm paid to do, which I think would be easier for me to do. You referenced whingeing. I'll tell you what I'm not doing. I'm not whingeing. I'm preparing to get on with the job to make Wales's transport system work, and rail is a key part of it. Now, when you speak to people about the proof of the pudding, the core Valleys lines and what's happened on the metro is a perfect example of what can happen when we get our act together and start working on it. And if you travel on it, you'll see the benefits of it, and you hear people every day saying how important it is that they can turn up to a station and get on a train that's comfortable and works and does the job it needs to do. We need to make that happen for the whole of Wales. Connectivity in some parts of Wales is really poor. Part of our responsibility is to make sure that changes. We cannot do that when people in Westminster are making the decisions and we have no say in it. We need to be the people making those decisions, and we have the proof that we can do it. The key thing that matters for making things happen is making sure there's a supply chain. One of the things that I'm acutely aware of is that we've got people who've delivered the core Valleys lines, who've delivered the metro, and they're raring and willing to go on the next stage of our next project when it comes to Wales. We've got the plans for the Burns stations. We need to get them going. I had a constructive conversation with the UK Government. We're going to pursue that in the same way as I think we agreed we'd have constructive conversations as well, as I did with others around this Siambr. But one of the things we shouldn't do is start suggesting that this is whingeing. This is about getting on with it. This is what we're doing. This is what I'm keen to do, and I won't be whingeing at all.
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Diolch, Vikki. Thank you for the question. So, I'm not going to stand up here—and I think we made it clear when we met—to be churlish about the work that's going on, and I feel we're building on the good work that's happened so far with the core Valleys lines, with the metro. I think this is good work, but we need to push it further, and I think that what we're setting out here is an acceleration of that move to take things on. And this is why devolution becomes so important, because, ultimately, this is about us making sure that the decisions are made in the right place to effect the right things. We don't think—and I think it's been broadly accepted previously in the Siambr—that Westminster's the right place to decide our rail infrastructure spending. The proof of the pudding is in a figure that I spoke about earlier: we've got 10 per cent of the rail network, yet only 1 per cent of the enhancements has been spent in Wales. So, we've been historically underfunded. Now, the £445 million that's in this spending review is a step in the right direction. It's insufficient to deliver the Burns stations in the way they need to be delivered. So, we're having a constructive conversation. And you asked about the specifics. I was really pleased with the positivity that came from my conversation with UK Government—pleasantly pleased with how it went. We've committed, the rail Minister and I, to also go into the next Wales rail board, where we can continue that engagement where the teams around us can see we're still on the same page. You asked whether I stood steadfast behind Transport for Wales's vision, and I do. This is something that makes a clear difference to Wales. But the problem is it needs to be funded properly, and that's the critical thing. So, when we're talking about the £14 billion, which has been repeated, we need to see that laid out in the next spending review, so that we can get on and do the work. What I've found with Transport for Wales is that they're ready to get on and do it, so I want to give them the resources, through the Cabinet Minister for Finance, to help that become a reality. Because the people of Wales are fed up with people kicking the can down the road. I'm not going to do that. What I want to make sure is that we get some movement on it. I welcome the question on devolution. I'm a big fan of devolution. I think that devolution is appropriate when it's at the right level. So, the key thing about devolution is making sure you make the right decisions at the right level. Rail, that's at a Wales level, and I'm clear about that. That's where we should be focused. When it comes to other priorities, I think we're in the right place. I think we're in the place where the CJCs make those decisions through the regional transport funds. But I think where we've got to do some more work is making sure that the citizen understands how they can influence that process. So, today, I think constituents know how to contact me in Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg. They would have known how to contact me as a local councillor. I'm not sure that citizens know how to engage with the CJCs in the same way. So, I think, when it comes to devolution, you need to make sure there's that link to make sure that works as well. But, generally, thank you for your questions. I think they're all constructive, and I appreciate that level of challenge and scrutiny. Diolch.
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Thank you, Peter, and, again, thank you for the constructive way you've framed the questions, albeit there's a few things that I think we take slightly different views on. But if we start at your last point first, 'Is power the important thing or is making people's lives better the more important thing?' Do you know, if I could see a way of being able to deliver things without power then I'd investigate that first? My first two points in my statement reference working with UK Government more constructively with the current powers that we've got. So, I want to be clear, when I'm dealing with UK Government, that I'm going to be somebody who always works constructively, is always honest and tries to get the best out of that relationship. That includes where we're connected across the country, and making sure that those things work. So, I'm not somebody who's just, there, power for power's sake. However, it is increasingly clear, if you just look—. You referenced the electrification figure. Only 9 per cent of our rail network is electrified; 45 per cent of the English network is electrified. The only reason, really, that 9 per cent is electrified isn't necessarily about GWR; it's more about what the Welsh Government did with regard to the core Valleys lines. So, let's make sure we get these things right before we move on. I'm glad you brought up the issue of resilience. I think we need to look at this in the frame of where things are happening. So, just as a backward look, when we had the red weather warning 10 days ago, 94 per cent of Transport for Wales services ran appropriately. Now, if you compare that to Paris, Paris lost 10 per cent of its network in the same period. Germany lost every single train that doesn’t have air conditioning in it, which was a huge number of trains, and Belgium similarly. So, we’ve got to be careful that we don’t characterise our transport network incorrectly. That doesn’t mean that we don’t need to do a lot of work on making sure we’re resilient and ready for these things. We’re about to hit another heatwave now, so these things aren’t going away. This will be three heatwaves this year so far. So, I think this is a really important point, and I expect to come back to this Siambr in short order to be able to talk about how we build a more resilient network. Part of it is about making sure the trains we put on the network, the buses we put on our roads, are appropriate to deliver the services. So, I was on a bus the other day, fully air-conditioned, it makes it a comfortable journey, the trains are similarly so, and that makes a real difference to things as well. We enjoyed our walk to school, I think, in Magor the other day, and it was good to see how committed the team were there to their project. The reflection I have from it is how long it's taken them to get to a point where progress happens, even in developing their community centre. And I think one of the things I'm keen to do is to make sure that we collectively can agree on lots of things. The more we can agree on, the more commitment people can start, and the funds can start to flow so that we know, even in four years' time, if the make-up of the Siambr changed in any way, we all know that we're committed to doing the things we are. And things like the Burns stations fit that profile. So, I welcome the broad support, I think, from you in this regard, and I think we'll continue to work together.
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Diolch am y cwestiwn, Niamh.
Official English translation
Thank you for the question, Niamh.
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I think this is huge. You've just exemplified the reason why we need devolved powers, because we need to treat communities the same, and they need to be given the same opportunities whether they're in the Caerphilly part of your constituency or the Blaenau Gwent part of your constituency. But this requires long-term planning. Again, I'm going back to the point of us needing, I think, to get some collective consensus around how we go and do this. But, ultimately, I see no way of this happening without full devolution, to be able to make the decisions that matter, because we're closer to the people of Wales and their needs than they are in Westminster. That's the critical thing. We are having conversations. The conversations have started with UK Ministers. They know what we want, and it doesn't really matter who is in charge there, frankly. Our position hasn't changed, but we're doing it from a position of making sure we can make a real difference.
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Thank you for the questions, Adrian. I was worried then you might be hitting Mike Hedges's number of questions in one question. I'll do my best. I'm not sure 'sensible but' carries much weight, but thank you, I think—but I'm not sure. Our test is the same. Our test is: can we improve the passenger journey? Can we make things work quicker? Can we make things work more seamlessly? I think that's the ultimate test. Today, in some parts of Wales, we've shown that that's happening. In lots of Wales—and I think you've highlighted areas where it's not—it isn't. So, the job of Government is to get in there, roll up our sleeves and start work on those things with the same vigour as has happened down south. I'm chairing the next network north rail board, to show the commitment to the north of the country as has been shown down the south. And I'm keen and I'm happy to update you with that post that meeting as well. Devolution and powers have got to have a reason for them. I'm clear about that. I think I've made the case in this statement today, and I'll continue to make that case. The only way we'll make our railways better is if the powers are in this place.
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Thanks for the question, Jane. I agree with you, firstly, that we have the skills and the capacity to start doing the work. We've proven it. The teams are ready to go. A lot of these are Wales-based organisations and Wales-based workers. This is a good project to start. They need to get on there and help to develop the railways. I think the key point that you're making is the same point that I think I made in the—. The Scottish example is there to be able to work with. The key difference is that 33 per cent of their network is electrified, 9 per cent of ours—good indication. It's a different—. We've got more cross-border connectivity in Wales as well in terms of some of our services. I'm really proud, and I think our key exemplar that I like to use is basically the work that we've done on the core Valleys lines. I know I'm repeating myself, but you're starting to see some huge improvements and we can replicate some of that work elsewhere. It doesn't mean that it's all about rail. We talked about buses here last week. I think that we've got to make sure that our transport network is wholly integrated, so people feel comfortable and they see it as a seamless journey, being on, maybe, the north Wales coach, jumping on a bus and jumping on a train. These are seen as seamless, which is the reason for one ticket, one journey. We've got a lot of work that we've seen and a lot of benefit.
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Diolch, Helen. Diolch am y cwestiwn.
Official English translation
Thanks, Helen. Thanks for the question.
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I think this is a really important point and it's a point that I'm happy to come back to the Siambr with. I have asked the same question. I think that when we talk about £14 billion, that's not the maintenance budget as well. That's really critical. So, we need to make sure that we have full devolution, so that we can do the work that needs to happen. Going back to the point that Peter referenced, and the fact that we need to build resilience, this is the core of building that resilience. We have got a network that, in some parts, we know hasn't had the support that it has needed for a number of years. So, it's really important, but when I have got the figure, I will come back to you on it.
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Diolch, Leti. I know you take a keen interest in rail from your job prior to this, where you were supporting Transport for Wales in its work as well. So, I'm grateful for your expertise as well. How do I answer that question? Just by turning it back and saying that we need the devolution and we need fair funding. Now, the pressure, I think, is twofold. So, the conversation needs to be a conversation with UK Government, where we are seen as a trusted partner. So, I want to make sure that, every time I have a conversation, they know that I'm being clear, I'm being direct, and I'm being honest with our needs and why we're working on it. But the other thing, I think, that was really—. When I spoke to the rail Minister a few weeks ago, he said that, to help him to go to the Treasury to get the funding that we need, what we needed is to be ready with the projects. So, that's the key difference. We are ready with the projects, to start to deliver, particularly on the Burns stations, because of the work that's been done. We're ready to go, and we can start kicking on with this. That's the critical difference. And I think that shows that, from rail, we're moving forward with things like never before. Diolch yn fawr.
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Thank you, Vikki, for the question. I think the way you encapsulate it is absolutely correct in terms of that Newport and the M4 is a system and when you change one part of the system here, it has an impact elsewhere. We're really aware of that in terms of the solutions we're going to come across and try and work through. What I'm keen to do is to make sure those Members across the Senedd who are local to this get some technical briefing early on the subject, so we can all understand and speak from the same opportunities and same concerns. I understand people's concerns in Newport, and Newport is probably the area that you'll see me spending most time in over the next few months, because I think it's important that I get to understand the issues from the community's perspectives, from the leaders in those areas' perspectives, and also to make sure that we do something that reflects those concerns as well. So, we're going to be coming back in the autumn with what I think will be quite a balanced suite of measures, and, hopefully, those will be things that will get some broad support, which is what I'm looking for. I think it's important, as the Cabinet Minister said, that we look for areas where we can co-operate, so this is where we look for things we can co-operate on, and I look forward to having those conversations in more detail with the people who count.
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So, again, thanks for that next question, and this builds on where we're trying to build a co-operative approach. So, I spent some time with Lord Hendy last week and the Secretary of State for Wales in what I think was—. Everyone left the room saying, 'That was a really constructive conversation.' I think we're all on the same page. We recognise that these are issues to be solved. There is a big problem in the room, though, that we need the finances to be programmed through, to show that we can get on with it. What Lord Hendy said specifically is, 'Is Wales ready to take these Burns stations on? Are you ready with the plans to make this happen?' And it gave me great pleasure to say 'yes', we were, and that's the sort of thing they're looking for, because when they go back to the Treasury they don't just want this vague idea of what things are going to happen. What they want is, 'This is what we're going to do. This is when we're going to go and do it.' And then, going back to your previous question, we can then speak to the people of Newport and elsewhere with some concrete plans as to when things will happen. Again, this is something where I think there are some opportunities for some broad consensus, because I think, as we stand at the moment, the public transport routes across Newport and around Newport aren't working as effectively as they can, so this is our opportunity for us to show as a body politic that we can deliver these things.
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Our priorities are practical improvements people can see: better links to Newport city centre and stations, safer walking and cycling, reliable buses, and action on congestion. We will work with local and regional partners in Casnewydd Islwyn to deliver our shared priorities.
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Thank you, Natasha, and thank you for your supplementary as well. I just want to recognise that you've been talking about this issue in the last Senedd and in this Senedd, so you've been consistent in this and you've consistently said the same things. We've ruled out the M4 relief road, the black route, and that's because of environmental concerns, cost concerns and also being able to do things in a timely manner, because I think the people of Newport and people across Wales need a solution that can be deliverable, which is my focus in terms of what's going on. The point you mentioned about the tunnelling methods I think is of interest, and it is something where we've had some references in Government already. I've got officials looking at that currently. It looks like it's something that's on the outer edge of what you can do. I think some of these things haven't been proven as a point yet, but they're things that we'd be keen to look at. In terms of closing motorway junctions, I think when you start to change things, closing motorway junctions is a likely thing that will happen in terms of change, whether they are permanent closures or they're temporary closures. What we've got to recognise—and I think this is the critical thing, going back to the question from Vikki earlier—is that what's important is that we consult and we recognise. And when it comes to consultation, it's got to be a true consultation. I was asked a question yesterday by team members: how do we better consult? Well, the key thing is to listen, and I'm committed to listening to the concerns of the people of Newport and elsewhere to make sure we do the right thing.
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Ddirprwy Lywydd, rydw i'n falch o ddiweddaru Aelodau ar y cynnydd rydym yn ei wneud wrth gyflawni dau ymrwymiad 100 diwrnod cyntaf i wella trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus ar draws Cymru. Mae ymrwymiadau hyn yn glir: cryfhau cysylltedd rhwng gogledd a de Cymru, a chyflymu ein gwaith gyda Trafnidiaeth Cymru i greu system drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus fwy integredig, hygyrch a theg i bawb.
Official English translation
Dirprwy Lywydd, I'm pleased to provide Members with an update on the progress we are making in delivering two of our first 100 days commitments to improve public transport across Wales. These commitments are clear: to strengthen connectivity between north and south Wales, and to accelerate our work with Transport for Wales to create a more integrated, accessible and fair public transport system for all.
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We have made tangible progress that reflects both the ambition of this Government and the practical steps we are immediately taking to improve public transport for people and communities right across Wales. For decades, our communities across much of Wales have faced real difficulty travelling between the north and the south, particularly in the west of the country. Whilst there can of course be challenges travelling east to west in Wales, we are generally better served with public transport options. Since the era of Beeching cuts, there has not been a public transport service across the west of Wales corridor. This means that the quickest way to travel by public transport from Bangor to Carmarthen is via England. Many in Wales have long argued for reopening the rail lines, and this forms part of Transport for Wales's rail vision. However, this would cost in the region of £2 billion. We want to improve connectivity now. This new north-south coach service will provide a similar journey time to the rail service and a similar standard of transport. The TrawsCymru bus network is of huge value in communities making longer journeys, particularly where there are no train services. This network now supports nearly 2.5 million passenger journeys annually. However, we also know that many of the journeys on the Traws network remain local, which is a perfectly legitimate and valuable use of the network, but we believe there is demand for longer distance journeys. This is precisely why I am pleased to announce our plans to introduce a new bookable coach service linking key communities from the north to the south of Wales. This will start in Bangor and end in Carmarthen, and include stops in Caernarfon, Porthmadog, Dolgellau, Machynlleth, Aberystwyth and Aberaeron. This will reduce public transport journey times by over an hour, linking communities and facilitating connections with both rail and local bus services, with the option of extensions to ports in both the north and south of the country in the future. We will invest £2 million in this scheme in this financial year. This scheme was subject to a full business case, developed as part of the co-operation agreement in the last Senedd, following extensive technical work and public consultation. Over 1,000 contributions were received, with strong public support for improving north to south Wales connectivity. Currently, communities along this corridor face a combination of challenges: limited access to services, economic constraints, long journey times, and a public transport offer that does not always meet expectations. This new service is designed directly to address those challenges. We have made rapid progress already. Transport for Wales have already purchased eight fully accessible, modern coaches; they have undertaken market engagement, and the procurement process for the service will begin later this week. I am grateful to TfW for the pace at which they have acted, delivering on our commitment to prepare to launch a north-south coach service during the first 100 days, ahead of the bookings opening prior to the service beginning in the autumn. I recognise that, if this service is going to be successful, there need to be regular coaches to support passengers to make the journeys that are right for them. Therefore, whilst we must wait until the procurement process has concluded before precise details can be confirmed, there will be two-hourly services from morning to evening. I also recognise that there are opportunities to improve existing infrastructure in some towns to help ensure we offer a fully accessible service. There are no barriers to beginning this scheme in the autumn, but TfW and my officials will work in partnership with local authorities to identify where we can enhance bus stops to ensure the service is as effective as possible. The introduction of the north to south coach is a significant and overdue step, but I am well aware that it is not enough on its own. This Government is ambitious about what can be achieved as we continue to develop our rail network and continue plans to deliver bus franchising. Dirprwy Lywydd, this is why we also committed, in our first 100 days document, to work with TfW to progress full integration of our transport network and fare capping. Whilst I have only been in role for a number of weeks, I have been pleased to see the progress already made to integrate our public transport system. However, I believe we can do more. I fully support TfW’s vision of 'One network, one timetable, one ticket'. Many people currently find that rail and bus service timetables don’t work together, that it's too difficult to plan a journey on public transport and that tickets are too complicated. This is why we are pushing forward with plans to extend smart ticketing on the rail network, rolling out tap on, tap off technology in north-east Wales, building on the successful roll-out now in place across the south of the country. This was across 15 stations on the Wrexham-Bidston route in May and will be extended to another 10 stations later this year. This will make travel simpler, quicker and more flexible, but we will not stop there. TfW are already working on plans to extend this further. We are continuing to develop a single digital platform for planning and booking journeys. I believe this is vital to retain existing public transport and attract new passengers. It can be a huge challenge to plan a journey on public transport currently, navigating bus and rail timetables across potentially multiple websites. TfW will bring journey planning, ticketing and real-time information together in one place, building on our already improved rail platform as we move towards bus franchising. Finally, I am grateful to the Cabinet Minister for Finance for allocating a further £8 million to ensure the £1 bus fare pilot will continue until the end of 2026-27. This scheme has been very successful, with over 6.5 million journeys now having been made using it. It's vital we retain support for our children and young people to access education, employment, training and leisure activities, as we know that transport can be a barrier. I want to emphasise that the commitments I have set out are more than just about transport. I see transport as key to achieving so much. It's about opportunity, connecting communities, strengthening our economy and delivering a more sustainable, inclusive Wales.
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Dyma pam yr ydym wedi cymryd camau ar unwaith, gan gyflawni ein hymrwymiadau 100 diwrnod, a pham y byddaf yn ceisio cynnal cyflymder ac uchelgais ein hymdrechion i drawsnewid trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Diolch.
Official English translation
That is why we have taken immediate action, delivering our commitments for the first 100 days, and why I will seek to maintain the pace and ambition of our efforts to transform public transport in Wales. Thank you.
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Thank you for your question, Jason. I think what we've talked about there—. There are a lot of things that I would agree with in that statement and I think it's good to see that there's a lot of ambition that you want to see, and this is part of that. I'll tell you what this starts as being is a pragmatic start to make sure that things work, because we can wait forever for things to change, or we can make a difference quickly. This is about making a difference quickly; it's about making a difference that we know people will want to use. And we know that people will be interested in this. When we went out and consulted about this, 60 per cent of those people who were in that consultation said that they wanted to see this service that we've set out here, so we're confident that this is going to work. I think your point about it being operationally resilient is really important. And this is something that's at the heart of what we've set out here. This is the reason we've got these two-hour coaches. We want people to trust in them, we want people to believe that these are going to turn up when we say they're going to turn up, which is the reason we've limited the stops. We need to make sure that the coach can get from A to B, from north to south, in a time that's convenient for people and works for people. So, that's really important. It's also why we've already got eight coaches in the yard, ready to go. You mentioned integration, and I think integration is probably one of the key points of this service. To make it work, it needs to integrate. I referenced ports in my statement, but also integration with different towns that aren't on the direct network. Transport for Wales have been programming this whole system in, so it becomes a whole-system approach. So, it links into smaller conurbations that are on the outside, and they fit in and they can make sure that they're part of this solution too. Affordability is central to this, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I think that's one of the issues that we'll be talking to at the start. But the guarantee I can give is that this will be an affordable service that will make sense for people's pockets. It will be cheaper than a car, and it'll be the right service that people choose. I like the fact that you support our rail network. I look forward to talking about rail devolution next week. I hope to get the support from you behind us when we talk about rail devolution to make sure that we can talk with a united voice to UK Ministers when that time comes. I'll finish by saying the way that this project will be extended will be based on how it gets used. We are confident that we can deliver the service as it is now, but that doesn't mean we don't add stops in the future. That would be something that we'd look at on a demand-led basis. But the demand as it stands at the moment is what we've got here. Diolch.
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Thank you, Vikki, and thank you for the broad support for the statement today. I think that shows that when good ideas come out, there's nothing to stop us working towards them. I think this was something that was originally worked up, as I said in my statement, as part of the co-operation agreement, so it shows that when parties co-operate, we can get things going and we can make progress. I'd like to think that this progress has been pushed forward because we've managed to get money from the budget straight away, so we're launching this. We will be launching this service in the autumn, so people will be able to book it from then. I think this is a good example of things working together. You mentioned online booking, and I think that's a really good point. I'm going to take that away, if that's okay, just to come back to you with the solutions to it. It's something that TfW already work with. People can book who struggle with using online systems on their own, but on this particular service, I'll come back to you on that one separately. I think accessibility is really important on travel as well. Just to give you an example of how we've worked on this service to make sure that people who are travelling with wheelchairs or who've got other bigger storage commitments can work with this service, I think you've got a situation where one of the stops was particularly difficult to be able to get a wheelchair on and off it because of the size of the coach, so we've managed to work with another space in the town. This is in Aberaeron, where you can park further up, and wheelchair access on and off can be made accessible. Every single stop here will be available to those people who need further access. We've also made sure that the time per stop allows those people to get on and off instead of it taking time off the whole journey. I mentioned integration in my answer to Jason. I think integration is key to this and TfW have been working really hard to make sure we integrate services, so whether it's local services, whether it's local authority active travel services, these are all part of the integration piece. What we need to recognise is that this is intended to be a fast journey between north and south, but when people come off, they can feed into the wider network. But we also recognise—and I did reference this—that people will be using it for shorter journeys because it's convenient. This will work if you want to go from Porthmadog to Dolgellau, Carmarthen to Bangor, perhaps. These are things where we recognise that the journey will be used. In terms of the commitment, the Cabinet Minister for Finance and I spoke about extending the £1 bus fare. Doing it for this year is making sure it's in for this year. Don't take that as an indication that it won't be in for further years; these are conversations that we'll have. This is clearly a service that young people really welcome and enjoy and use. We've got to try and make sure that we get passengers. If we get young people using public transport whilst they're young, we hope they extend that through to their lives more generally as well. Thank you.
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It's always great when you get Janet really talking through our press release. It works quite well, so I really appreciate that, Janet, and thank you for your support. There's a wider connecting point about how we make sure our transport systems work together. That's something that I'm taking on board and I hear what you're saying. I think we need to make sure this is a practical, pragmatic solution that is about delivering this quickly. It suits people, people want to see this happen. It looks like there's demand for it. We'll soon see that in terms of it going ahead. We have to make decisions and we have to take things forward. This is doing exactly that. It matched our 100-day commitment, and this will be delivered. In terms of the 'when', we're working towards that. We're weeks away from announcing the 'when', but we're going through a procurement exercise, so you're just going to have to hold your horses a bit, but not for very long. We're really keen to get this running as soon as we can, I'm really keen to get this running as soon as we can, so people can use it. The booking window will start a few weeks out, so people will be able to plan their journeys a few weeks out from travelling to get on the road and the coaches to make it happen. You, like everyone else, have talked about integration. I hope I've made it clear that integration is key to making this work. That's integration from different modes. Some of it can be about car—
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It can be tap on, tap off. I've talked about 'one ticket'—this is all part of that same system and part of that vision, which is something we're keen to support so that Transport for Wales can deliver that. You mentioned bus franchising; this links into that quite clearly as we go through. But I do appreciate the support on this. Thank you.
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Diolch am eich cwestiwn, Elwyn.
Official English translation
Thank you for your question, Elwyn.
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I appreciate it. I think this—. Again, there's a lot of repetition. I agree with you, this is an opportunity to change the way that we travel. It's a starting point. We're a long way, going back to the point I made when I spoke to Janet, from getting this right, but we're on track—maybe that's the wrong word—we're on track to show that we're making progress. In terms of passenger numbers and making sure that we link with actual travel patterns, we've spoken to a lot of people, so there's been a lot of research done. Since it came up in the co-operation agreement, there's been a lot of energy and it's been spoken about and worked on with local authorities and others, to make sure this matches the requirements. So, I think we're in a position where we've got a good starting point, hence the stops that have been chosen so far. But this is work in progress. As I said in my answer to Jason earlier as well, this is something we'll review in terms of how you can expand it. But the key to it is about getting the passenger numbers up, and part of that is making sure that people are confident that the service will be there. This is why we've made sure, with the support of the Cabinet Minister for Finance, that the money is there to make sure the service is there and it is regular and it can be relied on. I think, then, there are opportunities for us to extend that service, once we can see that passenger numbers are coming through. I think it's got an opportunity to be a real commercial service over the long term as well, as it gets used. Diolch. Thanks for the question.
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Diolch, Jane. This is something that has already crossed my desk, so this isn't news to me at all. But before I get on to that question, I just want to thank you for your support, especially about the £1 bus fares. When I met all the opposition spokespeople, this was the first thing you said when you came into the room, and we couldn't confirm at the time, but we're able to confirm it now, to extend that service. So, thank you for your support on that. With regard to the T4, I've asked officials already to start working on this alongside Transport for Wales. There are some commercial issues at play here, which is the reason that we're in the position that we are in, but I don't think they're insurmountable, but they may not be immediately resolvable. But it is something that's one of my priority issues to sort out. I recognise if we want this transport system to work in the way that we expect it to, and it seems like there's some consensus around the Siambr for this, then we need to make sure that, where there are breaks, we resolve them as soon as we possibly can. Diolch.
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Diolch, Pred. All of these—. Again, at the risk of repeating myself, it's so important that we get the pricing of this right and that it's accessible for people, and people know that this becomes a much better value option than taking your own car and that it will be a much better value option than taking the train. These are things that we need to be—. And especially for people who want to take families et cetera on this journey too, this is a solution that should solve a lot of people's problems. One of the groups I think who we think will probably use this will be students, for example, as they travel across the country, so this is one of the opportunities that we get for those as well. Bus franchising gives us the opportunity to make the changes that we need to make, and this is where we need to dig in and do the hard work to make sure that we get the single ticket and that everything becomes so visible for people. Because at the moment, as I said in my statement, it's actually quite difficult for people to cross between website A, website B, website C, and working those things out on a screen can be hugely difficult. We can make that a lot easier. The technology's out there. This isn't rocket science. We need to get into it. And we just need to get all—. We have multiple operators running our bus network, as you know, and our coach network now, so we've just got to use bus franchising as a way of being able to integrate them, and integration, integration, integration.
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Thank you for the question, Anna. I completely agree with everything that you just said. I think it's really important—again, I'm using that integration word, because this is huge. This is what will make the difference between this service being a success or otherwise—the ability for people who are not on the direct route to be able to access this. So, this is about working on the routes that fit. We know the times broadly that they're going to be dropping in. We believe this could take about an hour—at least an hour—from the journey, if you were to do it, by multiple bus routes at the moment, it would be up to an hour and a half. So, we know the times they're going be arriving close to those other places, and we just need to make sure that those other places are connected in. And officials in TfW are working on that. Now, this is part of the design that's being worked up today. I think there'll be things that we'll review as we start to build on this process, but reviewing it and learning from it is central for this to be a success. Diolch yn fawr.
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Sources
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