3. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to improve public transport in the Vale of Clwyd? OQ58226

Our north Wales metro programme will transform rail, bus and active travel services across north Wales. The metros offer some of the best opportunities to meet our target of 45 per cent of journeys being made by public transport or active travel by 2040, helping reduce road congestion, carbon emissions and air pollution.

I appreciate your response, Minister. My inbox has been flooded with correspondence from gravely concerned constituents regarding local transport matters. Transport-related problems now total the second highest category of my casework. The problems that my constituents have to endure range from inadequate and infrequent bus timetabling, especially in more rural areas of the constituency, to overcrowded trains and a lack of forward planning by the rail services, with too few carriages being put on during known busy events such as Chester races and local sporting events. Given your Government has set ambitious aims to tackle climate change, it isn't rocket science that the problems I've outlined will need rectifying, especially if you want to attract more passengers onto public transport. So, Minister, what are you going to do to reassure my concerned constituents on these issues and enhance their experience of utilising public transport within the Vale of Clwyd?

Thank you. I understand you've raised concerns with Transport for Wales regarding the poor performance of trains in your constituency, and I think you've had a response from them. There have been occasions where TfW have had to make last-minute cancellations, and incidents where we needed to operate rail replacement services to ensure there are alternative journey options. Some 68 per cent of those cancelled services are related to Network Rail issues where they needed to investigate various incidents on the infrastructure. The track and signalling of the north Wales coast main line is managed and operated by Network Rail and this limits TfW's ability to operate when an incident arises. Unfortunately, some incidents, such as a trespasser on the line or a fatality, require sensitive attention and involve the British Transport Police.

Where possible, Transport for Wales attempt to replace the service to make sure that people can travel. Sometimes, the alternative would be to cancel it altogether. And although, of course, we are very sorry for the crowded conditions, it's sometimes better to have the service in crowded conditions than not to have it at all, which might be the other option. And of course we're working to improve the network overall. Recent strikes—yesterday's and tomorrow's—and today's disruption are caused by the way that Network Rail interacts with the rail operating companies. So, having a proper conversation with the UK Government about why that system put in place by the Conservatives really has been shown to fail in every single regard is one of the things that's top of our list.