I, of course, fully endorse the recommendations of this report, and would also like to acknowledge here the contributions made by those organisations and individuals who took the time and effort to address the committee. However, in contributing to this debate, I wish to make a number of personal comments and suggestions that I feel may help to alleviate this very serious problem. In so doing, I make no apologies for returning to a number of points I made after the Cabinet Secretary’s statement on free passes in Plenary yesterday, in the true belief that repetition gives emphasis.

Whilst it is true that the car is the worst villain in this debate, we must also acknowledge that, to some extent, buses themselves contribute to the problem. The sight of four or more buses lined up in a traffic jam, each carrying a pitiful number of passengers, is as frustrating as that of dozens of cars carrying just one person, the driver. As indicated yesterday, the idea that buses run to a strict timetable, irrespective of demand, is quite ludicrous. I’ve personally seen near-empty buses pass my home at intervals of just 10 minutes for much of the day. I had best point out here that I’m not often home for most of the day.

Of course, we must blame the bus companies themselves, who should have the data telling them of the usage of each and every bus journey. But an equal amount of blame must be laid at the door of local authorities, who, we are told, are responsible for administering bus contracts and making sure that the taxpayer is having the best value for money from the operators. I honestly believe there must be a root-and-branch appraisal of the supply of services by bus companies, overseen by the Welsh Government.

Again, as mentioned yesterday, we must explore the possibility of on-demand public transport systems using smaller vehicle units, preferably, of course, running on electricity, that can be deployed even to people’s doors. These units would also be far more suitable for many of the Welsh towns and streets, which, as we all know, are often narrow and restricted. New housing estates would have to make provision for access for such vehicles, which would, by definition, be easier than for the buses now deployed. If we are to eradicate, or at least fundamentally affect, the scourge that traffic congestion represents on our roads, we must adapt public transport to fit the needs of the people, and not the needs of those delivering this service.