New responsibilities in relation to the registration of local bus services, licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles, and the setting up of the traffic commissioner's office here in Wales, are new realities, together with additional responsibilities for the management of the Welsh rail service, which is expected to take place early in 2018. So, our transport strategy not only needs to reflect these realities, but needs to be framed in the context of the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union, exploiting the opportunities to be gained through trade in the emerging global economy, and harnessing technological developments in the transport sector in developing ultra-low-emission vehicles, autonomous vehicles and other new technologies. We need to design tools that enable us to maximise these opportunities. 

And so, I am pleased to announce that our new Welsh transport appraisal guidance will be published tomorrow and will better enable transport planners to develop and implement interventions that better meet the transport needs of people living in Wales. This guidance will be critical to the success of the three metro programmes, and delivery of key transport projects such as on the M4 and along the A55 corridor, and the A40 in west Wales. Taking all of these factors into account in developing a new Wales transport strategy, I am proposing a two-tier approach, comprising an overarching policy statement supported by a number of thematic policy statements. The overarching statement will set out our wider aims and objectives for the transport network in Wales. It will cover how we propose to take account of changes and, crucially, the wider Government policy agenda in relation to land use planning, public service delivery, the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, and sustainable development.

I recognise that an ambitious transport strategy will require a radical change in land use policies, planning and service delivery, which is set out within the economic action plan. The target to decarbonise 80 per cent by 2050 may require a high level of ambition and will be dependent on the pathway the Welsh Government adopts to reach this target. This two-tier approach will allow us to adopt a more dynamic, responsive and progressive approach by bringing forward new policy statements or refining existing policies in the future to respond to emerging technologies and priorities.

I propose that the Wales transport strategy will be a more flexible approach to policy development and objective setting, focused on outcomes and able to be refined to reflect new environments and address emerging priorities, such as our desire to improve accessibility and inclusion on the public transport network. A year ago I promised to work with equality groups to develop outcome-focused objectives designed to improve accessibility and inclusion, and I am pleased to say that, today, I published a policy position statement, setting out six outcome-focused objectives to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of the public transport network here in Wales. These objectives have been developed with the help of organisations representing the interests of disabled people in Wales, and I am sure that they will make a positive contribution to advancing equality of opportunity for all people living in Wales. This policy position will provide one of the cornerstones of our new transport strategy. I am confident that the revised strategy, taken together with our new way of working to deliver sustainable transport that delivers for all people in Wales, will make a significant contribution to the fulfilment of our objectives for delivering prosperity for all.

Later this month I will be launching our update of the national transport finance plan, which was published in July 2015. The plan, whilst not a policy document, sets out how we propose to deliver the outcomes described in our Wales transport strategy. Following requests from the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee, and their view on how frequently the plan should be updated, I have agreed with their recommendation of an annual review. This updated version of the national transport finance plan provides information on progress made since 2015, the new schemes that will appear in the programme for the next three years, and it also sets out the programme to be delivered, its costs and sources of funding. As is the case with the 2015 plan, the programme is an ambitious one and includes important interventions such as the roll-out of metro concepts in north-east Wales, in south-west Wales in Swansea bay, and the western Valleys. There is a clear shift also to undertaking smaller, more affordable interventions that can still achieve a big impact and target more communities, such as the pinch-point programme to tackle road congestion and improve bus service reliability.

Sustainable forms of transport are also prominent in our programme—targeting new railway stations, improvements to bus and rail services and promoting walking and cycling and integrated transport solutions. A new strategy, a refreshed transport appraisal toolkit and an annual delivery plan is a good platform to deliver a modern and sustainable transport system for Wales.