7. Will the First Minister make a statement on concessionary travel schemes? OAQ(5)0463(FM)

Our concessionary bus travel scheme is hugely popular, with some 760,000 older or disabled pass holders resident in Wales, and we’re also continuing to support the existing discounted bus travel arrangements for 16, 17 and 18-year-olds throughout Wales while we design a different scheme over the coming months.

Thank you for that response, and, further to that, naturally, there has been some concern, particularly among young people across Wales, following that uncertainty that you’ve already mentioned surrounding the mytravelpass scheme, so I was pleased to hear the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for infrastructure last week, saying that the Government were committed to establishing a similar scheme, as you’ve mentioned, to encourage young people to use buses. Now, we need assurances in this area, so when can we expect the consultation on the new scheme to commence?

Well, as you say, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport did issue a written statement on 21 February. He outlined his plans for the future of young persons’ discounted bus travel. We’ve agreed with local authorities and the bus industry that the existing discounted travel arrangements will continue, as I said in answer to your first question. We’ve accepted the Confederation of Passenger Transport’s offer to come forward with proposals for a new marketing campaign, because we know we needed to increase the uptake and use of passes, but we intend to launch a new travel pass from 2018. We’ll be consulting over the summer.

Leader of the house, can I ask what assurances you can give that, in the preparation for the end of the current funding agreement on concessionary fares next year, discussions with the bus industry and with local authorities will begin in plenty of time so that the stability of the scheme is maintained?

I think, in terms of the commitment we’ve made to concessionary bus fares over the years, the fact that we’re estimating that local authorities will reimburse bus operators in 2016-17 between £65 million and £70 million, including £10 million from their own budgets for carrying older and disabled pass holders would be—. We’re continuing, of course, with our scheme for young people and, clearly, this is an important plank of Welsh Labour Government’s programme for government.

We had a petition delivered to the Assembly last year by a pupil at Treorchy comprehensive in the Rhondda. This petition was calling for rail travel to and from school to be restored—free rail travel, I should say—by Arriva Trains, who had decided to end the scheme. With the rail franchise up for renewal next year, I wondered if thought might be given by the Government to giving Arriva a shove towards restoring the free school fares scheme that they previously offered.

I think, while concessionary travel is very important, particularly where bus services are limited, it’s of course—. Concessionary travel passes can be used on certain train lines; the Welsh Government has ensured that. Concessionary rail travel is available on some routes, which you’ll be aware of, particularly in Wrexham, Llandudno, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Swansea and the Heart of Wales line. As you know, Gareth Bennett, we have no powers to introduce mandatory concessionary fare schemes on Wales services, but we do fund the voluntary concessionary scheme with Arriva Trains Wales. But, clearly, this is an area where we will be looking at future prospects.