<p>Improving Rail Services</p>

Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure – in the Senedd at 2:02 pm on 7 December 2016.

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Photo of Hannah Blythyn Hannah Blythyn Labour 2:02, 7 December 2016

The Welsh Government’s Taking Wales Forward programme makes it clear that there will be an additional £50 million to advance the development of the north Wales metro system. This is welcome, but, in anticipation of bringing in the metro system in north-east Wales, I think steps need to be taken to ensure that the current system we have there is metro-ready, so to speak. I’ve previously spoken in this Chamber and in the community about the need to have better connectivity in the area—better connectivity in terms of train services on key routes, not just north to south traffic but, more importantly, east to west, because that’s the crucial route with our regional economy. I think we also need to ensure that trains link up with bus services, that buses actually stop at train stations and that both bus and train timetables are synchronised to ensure each journey is as efficient as possible. So, Cabinet Secretary, can you tell me what steps are being taken in the short term to allow the longer term ambition of the north Wales metro to be implemented?