5. 5. Statement: The Future of Local Bus Services

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:24 pm on 28 February 2017.

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Photo of Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas Independent 4:24, 28 February 2017

(Translated)

May I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement today? I believe that this is the most comprehensive statement that I’ve ever heard on bus services in any parliament in the UK: let’s start there. I am so pleased that we are putting the bus at the heart of our public transport system, where it should be. May I also thank him for the invitation to participate in the summit in Wrexham? I very much hope that his approach to leadership as a Minister in this area will continue to engender enthusiasm out there in our communities.

Now I have the privilege, of course, of using buses almost on a daily basis in rural and urban areas. I have two brief questions for him. Does the Minister believe that there is a new role for schemes such as the Snowdonia green key initiative, which innovated, but not entirely successfully, in the past in the Snowdonia national park and surrounding areas, in order to reduce the pressure of visitors using cars in designated landscapes of the national parks and areas of outstanding national beauty and so on? Also, does he believe that there is a role from here on in for us to ensure that we never build bus stations and train stations separately anymore, particularly in some cities—I won’t name Swansea particularly, but there are a number of towns and cities in Wales where opportunities have been missed in the past to integrate? I think, if the Minister would lead on that, I’d be very grateful. The next time I am on the bus, I will be sure to praise the Minister to my fellow passengers.