This brings us to the short debate. I call on Rhianon Passmore to introduce the motion in her name on Transport for Wales. Rhianon Passmore. 

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Ann Jones) took the Chair.

If you're leaving the Chamber, can you do so quickly and quietly, please? Rhianon.   

Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. Thank you. 

It is a fact that the Wales railway network has been historically starved of investment. Since 2011, only around 1 per cent of the rail enhancement expenditure across England and Wales has been made in the Wales route areas. The Welsh Government has led the way in strongly demanding that Wales's railways are properly funded. Earlier this week, in direct response to Welsh Government's continued and vocal representations, Network Rail has unveiled a £2 billion cash pot of public money for the historically underfunded Wales and borders routes from 2019-24. This is the first time the funding plan for the route, which covers Wales and nearby connections in England, such as Shrewsbury, has been developed under Network Rail's regionally devolved system. The funding plan represents a 28 per cent increase on the figure for the last five-year funding period, and will support the Transport for Wales investment of £5 billion over 15 years.

It is a fact that the Wales and borders route has been starved of cash for many years, despite increasing demand and passenger numbers growing by around 50 per cent over the last decade. So, I would like to acknowledge the commitment of the Cabinet Secretary for transport and infrastructure in his determined and strategic efforts to ensure that my constituents in Islwyn and throughout Wales have a railway that is truly fit for purpose in the twenty-first century. Under this Welsh Government, this will happen.

Transport for Wales will rank as a turning point in the history of Welsh devolution and in the history of railways in Wales. So, let's be frank: the railway network and infrastructure in Wales was not built with the principal aim of transporting people around. It was built during the great industrial revolution in the age of Queen Victoria in order to serve Wales's world-leading revolutionary industries of coal, steel and iron, The services and, later, passenger routes that then developed were then decimated by the Beeching cuts of the 1960s.

So, with devolution established, a Welsh Labour Government was determined to facilitate effective and sustainable travel for the future, and the creation of Transport for Wales. It is correct also to say that the potential for the communities of Islwyn to be transformed is, indeed, there for us to grasp. And as the Assembly Member for Islwyn, my inbox, postbag and messages from constituents have persistently and rightly lamented the poor performance and lack of comfort of travel under the previous franchise operator, Arriva Trains Wales. I have represented these and other issues to the Cabinet Secretary on many occasions within this Chamber. So, the criticisms from the Welsh Conservative leader in the Chamber yesterday about the first month—the first four weeks—of Transport for Wales's operations, I will treat with the cynicism that they deserve, and their sheer political expediency.  

It is correct to say that Transport for Wales has a truly transformative agenda. The 15-year contract period will see investment of nearly £5 billion, and this includes plans to spend £194 million on station improvements, including the building of five new stations, and the deep cleaning of stations. This is transformational for Wales. Although the creation of new railway stations is still not a devolved matter, I do wonder what the Cabinet Secretary's thoughts are on the Welsh Government's securing of these powers, which are instrumental in expanding the footprint of the Welsh rail network.

The Cabinet Secretary is aware, I believe, of the strong argument for a station to be once again opened at Crumlin. For communities such as Crumlin, the opening of a new station and integrated public transport services will offer true economic opportunities and enhance the heritage and tourism potential of the listed Navigation colliery, as well as combating the strategic fight against vehicle pollution. So, to quote you, Cabinet Secretary,

'Our plans go beyond a traditional transport project – they have to become the spark for wider economic renewal. They have to help individuals, businesses and communities who need a reliable, integrated transport system to help them find a new job, support their business to expand, and bring new investment to their town.'

The communities of Islwyn are already familiar with the benefits that Welsh Government investment can bring to our railways. A decade on since the reopening of the Ebbw Vale line, a report published earlier this year found that it has been highly successful in increasing access to the jobs market and reducing greenhouse gases. The reopening of this line was a true boost, not only to the economy of Ebbw Vale, but also to areas such as Newbridge, Crosskeys, Risca and Pontymister in my constituency. The reopening of this line has provided much better connectivity with Cardiff, whether for work or leisure, to many of my constituents. Though this is, of course, something I welcome, the Cabinet Secretary will also be well aware that, since my election, I have strongly campaigned for improved rail links from Islwyn into Newport.  

Of the many excellent proposals contained within this new franchise, the announcement of an hourly service between Ebbw Vale and Newport I hugely welcome. I know that this news will be very welcome also to the great number of my constituents who commute into Newport regularly. This will, I know, prove a significant boost to the economy in Gwent, whether they are commuting for work or pleasure. I know that this is something a number of my colleagues have also campaigned on and will also welcome, as I'm sure will the South Wales Argus, which has since 2002 campaigned also for the line to be reopened to Newport.

I'm also delighted to hear that over 50 per cent of the much needed new rolling sock will be produced here in Wales in Newport. This £800 million investment will dramatically improve the quality of our trains and will also improve resilience during adverse weather conditions, as we've experienced this autumn. The announcement of 300 jobs at this site will be very welcome, along with 600 new jobs at Transport for Wales, as well as 450 apprenticeships. So, I would like to therefore ask what the Cabinet Secretary is doing to ensure that these opportunities are available to individuals across Wales, including in areas such as Islwyn. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I call the Cabinet Secretary for economy and transport to reply to that debate—Ken Skates. 

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'd like to start by thanking Rhianon Passmore for raising this important debate today, and I'd like to thank her for her comments and also for recognising the huge change that is to come to rail services across the length and breadth of Wales and, of course, to her own constituency of Islwyn. 

I believe 14 October of this year was a historic day for rail transport in Wales, and in Islwyn, with the launch of the new Wales and borders rail franchise. Led by Transport for Wales, this will be the very first made-in-Wales rail service, one that was designed and delivered by the Welsh Government here in Wales. And as Rhianon said, £5 billion of investment will be funnelled into rail infrastructure and rail services over the next decade and a half, ensuring that our network will be transformed.

There's going to be £800 million spent on new rolling stock to ensure that, by 2023, 95 per cent of journeys will be on 148 brand new trains with half assembled here in Wales. That money will also see £738 million spent on modernising the Valleys lines, supporting the next phase of metro, and it will run many more trains per hour. In addition, £194 million will be spent on station investment—investment that will see every single station improved. There'll be an extra 285 services across Wales every weekday, and on Sundays an extra 294 services.

Six hundred new jobs and 30 apprenticeships each year will be created, and those opportunities will be open to people in the Valleys communities. I'm keen to ensure that depots, such as that which is being created in Taff's Well, will reach out to communities beyond the immediate vicinity of Taff's Well and offer opportunities for apprentices across the Valleys communities. There'll also be a 25 per cent reduction in carbon emissions across the network. There'll be the introduction of smart ticketing across Wales and the extension of free travel to those younger than 11, with half-price fares for 16 to 18-year-olds. 

In the coming months and years, we will deliver groundbreaking transformation of transport across the country and in Islwyn. Communities on the Ebbw Vale line will benefit from a range of improvements and enhancements planned by TfW to the line. New rolling stock will be introduced, improving the quality and the ambience of passenger facilities compared to the tired rolling stock we have right now. In 2019, refurbished trains will be introduced to add capacity to the line, and, in 2022, brand-new trains will be introduced with level boarding, free Wi-Fi, power sockets, electronic passenger information, air-conditioning and more space for bikes.

Increases in services on the Ebbw line are a priority for the south Wales metro. The vision is for four services per hour. Infrastructure improvements on the line are currently being progressed, and we expect the doubling of services on the line from 2021, increasing to four per hour by 2024, and I can assure Rhianon Passmore that I will be working with TfW to deliver this. By May 2021, we plan to restore the rail link between Ebbw Vale and Newport, with the introduction of a new hourly service, which will improve rail access for communities in Islwyn, and I'm really pleased that the Member is happy with this outcome.

Accompanying this, there will be a significant increase in capacity delivered by the new contract, designed to help more people get a seat during the busiest times. Indeed, the number of seats will increase by 60 per cent. The contract ensures that TfW will be penalised if passengers have to stand for longer than 20 minutes and, in addition, stations will be improved significantly. An enhanced deep cleaning programme is being put in place, followed by the installation of free Wi-Fi by December 2020. By December 2022, we will refurbish platform shelters and install new passenger information screens. By 2023, we'll install improved cycle storage facilities.

Of course, the Ebbw Vale line, which remains the responsibility of Network Rail and the UK Government, has significant engineering challenges that meant we could not add it to the central metro at this stage. However, the scheme's development now involves TfW, and their technical expertise is supplementing Network Rail's work. Our ambition continues to be to grow the services to four trains per hour, and I have instructed Transport for Wales to present us with options for delivering this. Transport for Wales is indeed working through the options, working with partners to identify a cost-effective way to deliver our ambitions.

I think it's important, though, to understand that this is part of a major 15-year investment programme. Our bold ambitions will take time to bring to fruition and won't be achieved overnight. But I am confident that, by 2023, the people of Islwyn and Wales will be benefiting from the best passenger rail service in the UK.

Thank you very much. And that brings today's proceedings to a close.

The meeting ended at 18:02.