Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:51 pm on 8 May 2018.
Can I thank John Griffiths for his questions? Of course, I'll have more to say with regard to the Ebbw link and the potential to stop at Newport when we announce the preferred franchise operator and development partner and when we take forward the metro planning.
With regard to Bristol and connectivity on a cross-border basis, it's my view that we should be encouraging UK Government to work with us in terms of remapping franchise agreements to ensure that a similar agreement is in place on those franchises that are operating and managed by UK Government as there is with the Wales and borders franchise, whereby we are able to influence and we have a role in deliberations at a UK Government level, just as UK Government Ministers will retain an interest in some services as part of the Wales and borders franchise.
I've set out in my letters to the Secretary of State a proposal for remapping franchise arrangements that would, I believe, (a) meet the needs of passengers in Wales far more than the current arrangements, but also enable the Welsh Government to have a role, the role that it needs to ensure that services are designed and delivered in a way that takes full account of Wales's interest, and which I also think would result in real competition and genuine choice for passengers across the border as well. We wish to see more services between south Wales and the south of England, in particular Bristol Temple Meads, and I think a remapping programme of the franchise would assist in this.