Diolch, Llywydd. The final report of the South East Wales Transport Commission was published on 26 November, completing their detailed and independent review into sustainable ways to tackle congestion on the M4 around Newport. I'd like to put on record my thanks to Lord Burns and his team of commissioners for preparing an excellent and evidenced piece of work. 

For those living locally who've had to endure the negative impact of congestion, and for the businesses and individuals who need a more reliable and resilient transport network, I believe that this report sets out a coherent and realistic plan for this vital corridor of Wales. I hope Members have had an opportunity to consider the report. For me, the most striking finding was its first-principles investigation of the use of the road itself. The majority of trips are between 10 and 50 miles, starting or ending in Newport, Cardiff and Bristol. So, the evidence clearly shows this is a regional challenge requiring a region-wide response. These trips have a high proportion of single car occupancy, and the congestion is most severe in the morning and evening peaks. The evidence shows this is a commuter issue, not one caused by local journeys across Newport. The type of trips filling up this road and causing congestion are ones that could readily be served by public transport if it were competitive on cost, journey time and convenience. Given the geography and topography of the area, it's vital this important corridor of Wales has an effective and high-quality public transport system serving it that can give people genuinely high-quality choices across all the modes that can take pressure off the road.

I believe that our new Wales transport strategy, 'Llwybr Newydd', complements the recommendations in the Burns report. Taken together, I believe they can reshape the way we think about how people move around south-east Wales and, indeed, beyond. The transport strategy sets out a powerful case for change. The Burns recommendations are a blueprint for how that change can be delivered in south-east Wales, building upon the significant metro work already progressing. Lord Burns calls for enhancement of the south Wales main line and also for six new stations on it. This infrastructure is, of course, the responsibility of the UK Government, and they'll need to be a part of the conversation we need to have about the realisation of this plan. On 23 November, I published my statement on the union connectivity review, and my officials are in the process of preparing a substantive submission to the work of Sir Peter Hendy. I believe that this provides the vehicle for the UK Government to provide early commitment to delivering on the Burns recommendations in non-devolved areas.

The Burns recommendations set out solid reasoning why the rail network in this region needs to be levelled up to be comparable to other parts of the United Kingdom. For too long Wales has been at the back of the queue when the UK Government has been investing in rail infrastructure, and this is a positive opportunity for the UK Government to make good on their underinvestment. It is that underinvestment in fact that has caused the problems we now see in Newport, and I look forward to working in partnership with them to put that right and to deliver the Burns vision.

Lord Burns recommends significant enhancement of bus and active travel infrastructure in and around Newport, and I'm particularly struck by how this report highlights the social injustice of Newport having a very high proportion of trips by private car, yet having some of the lowest levels of car ownership anywhere in the country. Now, whilst the Welsh Government set out the strategic needs, the detail of this is, of course, best decided locally. I'm pleased to say that we have signed a memorandum of understanding with Newport City Council to jointly steer the way forward for bus and active travel measures in the city, supported by Transport for Wales. We've put in place short-term actions to help support individuals, communities and businesses to deal with the immediate impacts of coronavirus. However, Lord Burns is rightly setting out a blueprint for the longer term, which takes into account the significant growth forecasts for this region. And that growth, combined with our aims to encourage modal shift, justifies creating a sustainable mass-transit system right across the region.

I'll be discussing the recommendations relating to land-use planning with the Minister for Housing and Local Government to see how we can work together to support them. Integration between transport and land-use planning is fundamental. It's important that new development is built in the right locations, which are well connected and have good public transport accessibility, particularly in this part of Wales where classic radial development is more challenging.

The recommendations reach across all aspects of transport policy and delivery. They'll require close collaboration and co-operation between partners, and work is under way for a delivery unit to be established, which will be a partnership of Welsh Government, Newport council and Transport for Wales to help make progress on the report recommendations, and I expect that unit to have its first meeting this month. This unit will initially be tasked with reviewing all 72 recommendations of the Burns commission and determining what next steps would need to be taken. For new recommendations, the development unit will advise me and our partners in local authorities and Network Rail on the best course of action to develop and sufficiently to inform further decision making.

In some areas, we have already made a start. The recommended new rail stations at St Mellons, on the outskirts of Cardiff, and at Llanwern are already at planning stages. We've also taken steps to bring our Wales and borders rail network back into public ownership. The bus reform programme has been established in response to the impact of COVID-19, and we are developing longer term plans for reforming the way that bus services are planned, funded and delivered. We've provided the largest ever investment in active travel funding. This is creating safe travel routes and better connections in our towns and cities, interfacing with public transport connections, reducing reliance on cars. There is more to do in Newport, of that there is no doubt, and, indeed, across Wales.

In conclusion, I warmly welcome the findings of the Burns report. The Welsh Government has set out our core vision for transport in Wales: an accessible, sustainable transport system that is good for people and communities, good for the environment, good for our economy and good for places. The recommendations within the report will, I believe, help us to achieve that ambition. But it will only happen, of course, if this report is more than a shiny document that sits on a shelf. It has to lead to real and dynamic change, and I look forward to working with the UK Government and others to help make it a reality.