5. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport: Funding for Buses

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:04 pm on 20 October 2020.

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Photo of Lee Waters Lee Waters Labour 4:04, 20 October 2020

I think that buses have been a neglected part of our transport system, and they do carry a huge number of journeys. The figure I mentioned, to reiterate the social justice point, which I think is wort repeating—. The Transport for Wales surveys of bus users show that 78 per cent of people who travel by bus do not have access to a private car. I think that that is a staggering figure, which shows how important the bus network is for people who do not have an alternative. Too often we make assumptions when we're planning services—and Alun Davies mentioned the new hospital, the Grange, there—that people will simply hop into a car to get to it, but we know there are significant parts of our communities that that is not a realistic option for. We need to make sure that there is a quality alternative for people, which is desirable and entices people out of cars to use public transport. It's not something that's left just for people who don't have an alternative, but becomes the mode of choice for people for the majority of journeys that they make. That's entirely normal in other parts of Europe and it needs to become normal in our country, but we are some way from that at the moment.

Just specifically on the issue of the question of the Grange, which Alun Davies has mentioned to me previously: I'm pleased to be able to confirm that the health board have now confirmed that there will be a public bus service to the site upon the hospital opening in November. Buses will drop off at a dedicated point at the new hospital. There will be a bus service between Newport via Caerleon, Ponthir and Cwmbran, which is also scheduled to stop in Newport and Cwmbran. And also, as I mentioned the demand-responsive service earlier, the Fflecsi, which we are looking to start in Blaenau Gwent, first of all with two service areas in Ebbw Fawr and Ebbw Fach—that also will be able to respond to people's flexible demands to be able to go to the hospital. So, I think there's more to do there, but I think that at least puts in the bones of a service to make sure that, when the hospital opens in November, there will be a bus route.

Finally, the point on taxis is an important one, because I think I mentioned in the statement that one of the things we want to get to is a multimodal, strategic, planned network. Clearly, taxis are one of the modes—a public transport option that we need to see alongside buses, trains and active travel, to make sure they link up. That's something that's been hard to do, and that's something that we want to make sure that Transport for Wales has very firmly on its to-do list. Clearly, again, the aspiration to bring in legislation to reform taxis has also had to be delayed because of COVID, but that is also something that we're continuing to work on, should the next Welsh Government want to bring that forward.