Earlier this month, a statement was issued by the transport Minister, and in that statement we were told that the dreaded Pacer trains will be with us for much longer than was originally promised. Built from the body of a bus mounted on train wheels to create a uniquely bumpy and rattling travelling experience, the Pacers were only meant to be a temporary stopgap when they were first introduced in the 1980s. The statement containing this came just after the publication of the annual report for Transport for Wales, which did not include the pledge from the previous year's annual report to phase out the Pacers before the end of the year. The statement also declared that an even older train, the 1960s-built British Rail class 37, would remain on the tracks for longer as well. This train model was not even featured in the first annual report of Transport for Wales, because it was brought out of retirement after the publication of that report due to chronic rolling stock shortages.

Travelling on these trains that are well past their use-by date does not make for a great travelling experience. I use these trains all the time, and I can testify to others' complaints about overcrowding, missing services and broken-down trains that are made on a regular basis by many, many people. Now, I note that your Labour Party colleagues, Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, Sheffield city regional mayor, Dan Jarvis, and Leeds City Council leader, Judith Blake, have all signed a letter calling on train operator, Northern, to reduce fares for passengers who, like us in Wales, are forced to travel on these Pacer trains. I think this is a great idea. Will you and your Cabinet colleague with the transport brief be standing shoulder to shoulder with your party colleagues in putting the interests of passengers before profit? Can we have a statement from the transport Minister outlining by how much passengers can expect their fares to be reduced while we wait for the basic public transport service that we deserve?