1. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve rail links to Blaenau Gwent? OQ55641

We continue to work with Transport for Wales and with Network Rail on the Ebbw Vale line frequency enhancement scheme, which would enable four trains per hour to be operated, and we're also working with Blaenau Gwent on plans to reopen the line to Abertillery.

Minister, I'm almost speechless. I'm delighted that you referenced both the station in Abertillery and also four trains an hour. Those are exactly the objectives that we all want to see. You will know, perhaps better than I, how we've all been let down by the Westminster Government—successive UK Governments have refused to invest in the rail infrastructure in Wales. And I think we're all grateful that the Welsh Government has taken the view that the rail infrastructure's too important to be left to wither on Westminster's vine. Therefore, will you commit to continuing to invest in the infrastructure serving Blaenau Gwent, but also that the metro will continue to be a priority for a Welsh Government, and that the Welsh Government will continue to ensure that we have the public transport links that really mean that connectivity for stations serving Blaenau Gwent is something that we can look forward to seeing developed and continued investment in it into the future?

Can I thank the Member for his supplementary question? He regularly makes a very powerful case for the devolution of responsibility for rail infrastructure and, with it, fair funding. And I've recently outlined how we found, through a conservative estimate, that, over the course of 28 years, from 2001 to 2029, spend on Welsh-related rail infrastructure is £2.4 billion below what it should have been—£2.4 billion. So, as part of the UK Government's desire to level up the UK, let's see them level up rail investment. I can guarantee to the Member that we will go on investing in those areas that we are responsible for, and we will also look to accelerate schemes where the UK Government needs to come to the table with cash. The metro is a major priority for this Government. And in spite of reduced passenger numbers during the course of this pandemic, we remain as committed as ever to promoting public transport and investing in infrastructure and services the length and breadth of Wales, and including in my friend and colleague's constituency.

Can you outline, Minister, the implications of Network Rail's decarbonisation strategy, which sets out how the rail industry aims to become net zero in terms of carbon emissions by 2050 on this rail service?

Well, I should point out the fact that Network Rail is accountable to the UK Government; it is a UK Government body. But, for our part, when we secured the contract for the Wales and borders franchise, when we outlined our aspirations for the metro, we also detailed how we intend to deliver a raft of services across the metro area that would be zero carbon. Their power would come from forms of renewable energy. That's something that we're very proud of, as we seek to meet the targets for decarbonisation, and public transport in Wales is contributing to that effort. 

Minister, the reason given by rail operators for the lack of a train link from the Ebbw Vale line into Newport has been that train capacity was fully taken up by the service into Cardiff. Minister, given the fact that the use of public transport has fallen dramatically since the onset of the COVID pandemic, has any thought been given to open trial train journeys into Newport, in preparation for a full service? Notwithstanding that there are delays in the procurement of rolling stock, which we acknowledge are outside the hands of the Welsh Government, surely there is now sufficient spare capacity to make these trials possible.

Well, unfortunately, service numbers are actually at a maximum. It's service capacity, the number of seats, or seat capacity, that is currently much reduced and, therefore, there is not the space available on those lines in order to trial as the Member suggests. But, I can assure the Member, again, the Welsh Government is doing all it can to deliver against the ambition of four trains per hour across not just the established metro area, but the wider area. But, in order to deliver that, as I keep saying, we need UK Government investment, and the UK Government can deliver that investment. We've seen, many times, mentions of the UK internal market Bill and how the UK Government would wish to spend money in Wales, but they wish to spend money in areas where they're not responsible. We want to see them spend far more money in Wales, and they can begin by spending on rail infrastructure.