5. Will the First Minister make a statement on bus services in south-east Wales? OAQ53532

Thank you, I'll read it again. Since 2013, the Welsh Government has provided local authorities with £25 million a year to support local bus and community transport services across Wales, including south-east Wales. Towards the end of 2017-18, we provided an additional £3 million to support the bus network, in addition to other specific grants allocated to support public transport services.

Thank you, Minister. Bus services are an integral part of our national transport infrastructure. However, in Newport, recent news that the NAT service in Brynglas will finish operating later this month has caused concern amongst my constituents who rely on this service. Sadly, this is not an unusual situation. It's affected all operators across Newport, and I'm still being contacted by many constituents about the decline of the other bus services. For example, the X18 service from Maesglas to Pye Corner train station ended in 2017. No operator has taken over that service, meaning one of my constituents has a trip of over two hours to visit her mother in Ebbw Vale, and this isn't the integrated transport system that we are all trying to achieve. To encourage people to use public transport, it needs to be affordable, reliable and regular, so what is the Welsh Government doing to ensure that sustainable bus services are maintained in Wales?

Thank you. Obviously, you mentioned an individual case, and I will ask the Minister for Economy and Transport to ask the south Wales bus co-ordinator to look into that, and then to write to you.

In relation to what Welsh Government are doing, you're, I'm sure, aware of the significant funding we've put into bus services over the years. I know the Minister's officials meet regularly with Newport council and the bus industry. Obviously, neither the Welsh Government nor a local authority have the powers to require a bus operator to run a particular service. I think that's achieved through local authority contracts, and that obviously includes the public subsidy.

We're really keen for local authorities to be more proactive in planning and co-ordinating local bus services. They do have some powers to exert over bus providers. Obviously, they can have ticketing schemes, for instance, voluntary agreements with bus operators to co-ordinate investments, and they can make statutory, enforceable bus quality partnership schemes.

You'll be aware the Minister also launched a White Paper consultation back in December. It closes on 27 March, and that sets out proposals for improvising the legislative framework in Wales. I would urge all Members to respond to that consultation.

I thank the Minister for substituting today. I don't know if the First Minister used south-east Wales bus services to help him get to Buckingham Palace, but I'm delighted that he's at that investiture celebration after 50 years. I think it would be awful if he hadn't gone, so thank you.

Newport Bus have brought in a demand-responsive transport approach where they're at least trialling the idea of allowing people to contact them and book a bus the day before. Paying a normal fare, the bus then goes round and picks up only from the bus stops where it's needed. Does the Minister think that approach is a sensible, more flexible one that can ensure financial viability when it wouldn't otherwise be there, and would she support its extension elsewhere?

Yes, I absolutely do. I think it's actually the future, and I know that that is actually contained in the White Paper, so, again, it would be good if we could have as many consultation responses as possible to enable the Minister to make decisions such as that.