So, in this sixth Senedd, we have the opportunity now to do things very differently. Now that we have the powers, we need to restore the public and social purpose to the very heart of all public and community transport, as we've already begun to do with trains. And this means putting people, transport users and locally-elected representatives, back in control of our buses and of the wider oversight of public transport, so that buses and trains and Fflecsi buses and on-demand buses and community transport work effectively together, and where no-one—no-one—is left without being connected to their wider community and the world of work and the world of their friends and of society. 

Despite the pandemic, or perhaps because of it, that work has already begun. The bus service agreement of March 2021 has committed over £37 million of funding to continue to support the bus industry in the coming financial year, but this is conditional on, in quotes,

'a fundamental reshaping of local bus services, better meeting the needs of passengers.'

And it also seeks to rebuild patronage post COVID, encouraging increasing numbers to use public transport over time for a wide range of journeys. That's good, and it's encouraging to see Ministers seizing the opportunity to reshape the way we do bus transport already. The bold announcement yesterday on the pause and review of road building also had a welcome focus on shifting investment into buses and public transport. That's good, but there is much more to do—much more. 

'Llwybr Newydd: the Wales Transport Strategy 2021', sets a clear and new radical direction to take on bus transport and local transport connectivity. It contains a range of commitments, which include extending the reach of bus services—not shrinking, but extending—progressing the new bus legislation, which we've consulted on already, to give the public sector more control over local bus services, delivering innovative, more flexible bus services in partnership with local authorities, with commercial and with third sectors, says the chair of the Co-operative Party, and ensuring that bus services and facilities are accessible, attractive and safe for everyone. They are the go-to choice, not a leftover option.

Now, this is truly exciting for many of us. This sees a new future for buses that puts them at the heart of local and regional transport policy, and it puts people back at the heart of those local services, with greater control over local routes and times and more, with the point of principle that, in quotes,

'bus services and facilities are accessible, attractive and safe for everyone'.

So, how do we then put people and bus users back at the heart of public transport? We do it by using the new powers this Senedd now has, by putting a modern, Welsh form of re-regulation of buses and public transport in place, and by recognising that buses and public transport have a fundamental social and public purpose. We democratise buses again. Now, we don't start from a blank sheet. We start from a real world of several decades of post-deregulation bus services, and we start from acknowledging the skills and expertise that are out there in the current operators, and some of the investment, albeit greatly driven by Government investment and regulation, in modern and accessible vehicles in parts of the network, and we also acknowledge the commitment and experience of the drivers and the staff who've kept this service through the pandemic too. 

But I say if London and Liverpool can have greater democratic control of, and greater integration of, buses and other forms of public transport, integrating ticketing and cheaper tickets, routes and services going more frequently when and where the public want them to go, then why not us? And if commercial operators can provide these services, then, as in the few select places of the UK and actually many worldwide, so can local and regional and municipal authorities and not-for-profit mutuals and social enterprises too. If they can have greater investment in buses with a longer term funding horizon, ultra low emission buses, fully accessible at that, if we can shift funding and passengers to climate-friendly mass transit, rather than individual transport, and we can improve working conditions and the attractiveness of the sector for drivers—. I say if it's good enough for London and it's good enough for Liverpool, then it's good enough for Lewistown in Ogmore, and it's good enough for Laleston in Bridgend, or for Llanelli and Llandudno, and anywhere else in Wales for that matter too. So, let's be bold in reimagining the future of buses and integrated transport in Wales. 

I'm looking forward in this debate to hearing other Members of the Senedd's views on the future of buses and integrated transport in Wales, and the response of the Minister to this debate shortly, as I hope he will set out a bus timetable for delivering this exciting and radical transformation. And Dirprwy Lywydd, I will only require a short time at the end to respond. Thank you.