1. Will the First Minister make a statement on public transport provision in south-east Wales? OAQ(5)0529(FM)

The national transport finance plan sets out the measures we are taking to ensure that the south-east is connected via an effective, affordable, reliable, modern and fully integrated public transport system.

Thank you, First Minister. The decision on the awarding of the new Wales and borders franchise is particularly important for public transport in south-east Wales and, indeed, for the south Wales metro—an issue I’ve raised in this Chamber with you a number of times. You mentioned at the end of your answer the importance of integration. Will you update us on the process of awarding the franchise, given that the metro map includes both bus and train routes? What are you doing to ensure that the independence of those two is ensured in the new franchise, so that we see the delivery of integrated ticketing, and so that the new franchise operates in harmony with local bus services and the train services?

The franchise itself is going well, but I wouldn’t expect, of course, the rail franchise to deal with the issue of bus services. But, of course, in April of next year, this institution will gain control of bus services, and then that provides us as a Government, and the Assembly as an institution, the opportunity to integrate bus and rail services given the fact that control will rest in the same place.

It’s been five years since the report ‘A Metro for Wales’ Capital City Region’ was published, which makes the case for a step change in our public transport system. Per kilometre, a rail line costs about the same as the same distance of motorway, yet it carries eight to 20 times more people. So, I’m keen to understand what work the Government has done to use the metro as a way of tackling modal shift and dealing with the congestion that we currently have on the M4 east of Cardiff.

The M4 east of Cardiff is affected by many factors. The metro will have some effect, but not as great an effect as for those communities that are to the west of Cardiff. Initially, of course, what the metro will do will be to upgrade and improve the existing railway lines, and then, of course, look to expand via light rail to new communities. But the next phases of the metro that include light rail are some years away, given the fact that we know that the initial work will focus on the heavy rail lines that already exist. But there are significant opportunities for modal shift via the metro in the years to come.

Last Thursday morning, the excellent leaders of RCT and Bridgend councils, Councillors Andrew Morgan and Huw David, gave evidence on the south Wales metro to the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee. They argued that the metro needs to connect across the northern Valleys and not just strengthen links to and from Cardiff. Would the First Minister agree and commit to ensuring that this happens?

Well, the first thing to emphasise is that the metro it not a greater Cardiff transport system. The fact that Transport for Wales will be based in Pontypridd is a sign of the commitment that we make to Valleys communities, but cross-valley links will be important. We understand that. They will be provided in the main, certainly in initial stages, by buses. We know there are many people who do look to commute across the Heads of the Valleys, and commute from one valley to the other. The railway lines that once connected those areas are long gone. That means, of course, that we need to look at how we can upgrade bus services in order to provide the connections that people need.

First Minister, in Llandudno on Saturday at the Welsh Labour conference, you announced three significant measures that will make a tangible difference to passengers on public transport. Every train on the Wales and borders franchise will be equipped with free Wi-Fi by September this year, a roll-out of free Wi-Fi to train stations across Wales, starting with 50 of the busiest stations in Wales over the next six months, and a 12-month pilot of free weekend travel on our long-distance TrawsCymru service. First Minister, isn’t this further evidence that the Welsh Labour Government is on the side of commuters, and what further actions can improve public transport for my constituents in Islwyn?

Can I thank the Member for Islwyn for reminding me of what I said on the weekend? And, yes, it is a sign of the commitment that we make to commuters—the fact that we are upgrading the metro, the fact that we’re committed to the north-east metro, the fact that we’re looking at upgrading trains when the franchise comes to us, the fact that we will look, once powers come to us next year, to upgrading our bus system. And, of course, we will do, as we said during the weekend, things that will make it easier and more comfortable for people to travel by rail and by bus in the future.