I just want to take this opportunity to reflect on the Welsh Government's transport commitments in its programme for government, which commits the Government to improving the A40 in west Wales.

Now, the Minister will know that one of my favourite subjects is talking about the A40 in Pembrokeshire, and he and others will not be surprised that I will continue to call on the Welsh Government to dual the A40 in my constituency, which, in my view, would have a hugely beneficial impact on local communities and it would transform the local economy. Now, as Members will be aware, the ports in my constituency are an important gateway for international trade, and it's more important than ever that the Welsh Government invests in the local transport network to ensure that these ports remain competitive in the future. Indeed, both Fishguard and Milford Haven ports have called for this infrastructure development for some years now, and so perhaps in responding to this debate the Minister could confirm that, in principle, the Welsh Government is in favour of dualling this stretch of road in the long term. And I'm sure the Minister will agree that dualling the road has never been a political issue and, if you ask members of all parties, I'm sure it's one of the few infrastructure issues that politicians of all colours can actually agree on, and so it's high time that this project is now taken seriously.

Whilst the Welsh Government continues to push ahead with transport schemes in other parts of Wales, such as the Heads of the Valleys road, which is extremely important, it's also crucial that the infrastructure needs of west Wales are also met. We've heard commitments in the past about feasibility studies and promises of improvements throughout this Assembly, but, in reality, little is being done to transform this road and open west Wales to the rest of the country. Indeed, it was disappointing to read in the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee's report on the implications of Brexit for Welsh ports that Wales had previously not taken full advantage of the funding associated with the trans-European transport network. During that particular inquiry, Ian Davies of Stena Line ports told the committee that there had only been minor funding but nothing of any real significance over the last 15 years. Well, that's simply not acceptable and it's sad to hear that opportunities have been missed in the past to access vital funding pots and, as a result, we're still no further forward. Therefore, I really do hope that the Minister will relook at this project and give communities in west Wales a meaningful commitment to dualling this road in the future. 

Of course, it's not all about larger scale projects; there are significant challenges facing the local road network across Wales and that, too, has an impact on local communities. I know from my own engagement with local people in Lower Town, Fishguard, for example, just how detrimental poor road infrastructure can be. In this particular case, oversized vehicles travelling through Lower Town have literally become stuck between properties, causing damage and also causing danger to pedestrians. The Minister will be aware that I've called for a footbridge to be installed to better support pedestrians on the A487 in Lower Town, Fishguard, but sadly those calls continue to fall on deaf ears. Now, I accept that an alert system is currently being developed to warn larger vehicles travelling on this stretch of road, and I cautiously welcome that, but it's absolutely crucial that this system is both practical and palatable for the local community. That's why I've extended an invitation to the Minister to visit the area for himself to see the problems first hand and so perhaps in responding to this debate he will at least be able to confirm whether or not he'll be taking me up on that invitation. 

Now, the availability of good infrastructure clearly has a direct influence on the sustainability of businesses across Wales, and that's why it's more important than ever that the Welsh Government rural-proofs its transport policies and ensures investment reaches all parts of the country. It must be remembered that the volume of traffic on the roads in increasing, and therefore it's essential that we ensure that the state of those roads is of a decent standard and safe for road users. In 2018, motor vehicles in Wales completed 29.4 billion vehicle kilometres. This is 4.63 billion vehicle kilometres more than in 2000. However, as I understand it, whilst the volume of cars and taxis has increased by 2.74 billion vehicle kilometres since 2000, the volume of buses and coaches has decreased by 0.8 billion in the same time.

I think it's important, as has already been said, to recognise that in rural areas like Pembrokeshire buses provide a valuable lifeline to so many people in accessing work and community facilities, and even in combating loneliness and isolation. Therefore, at the very least, I think the Welsh Government has an obligation to those people to ensure that our public road network is sufficient and capable of comfortably transporting people from one place to another, and perhaps the Welsh Government's forthcoming buses Bill will not only look at the type of services available, but how those services will actually be delivered on our road infrastructure.

Therefore, in closing, Dirprwy Lywydd, Pembrokeshire will soon be home to thousands of visitors, and yet to fully capitalise on what Pembrokeshire has to offer there needs to be a strong transport network in place. Therefore, I urge Members to support our motion.