Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government – in the Senedd at 1:41 pm on 15 February 2023.
I had a meeting just last week with the Deputy Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Climate Change to discuss this issue and other issues in relation to pressures within the overall transport system. I was pleased that there were some conversations with the traffic commissioner to give the result that the deregistration window has now been temporarily reduced to 28 days. I think the extension to the funding, albeit short term, alongside that 28-day window, now means that there's no need for operators to be making immediate decisions on their future network. However, we will work together closely with the bus industry and other partners, including Transport for Wales, to bring around the strong and sustainable bus network for Wales that we need. But, as you appreciate from the question, I think, it is the Deputy Minister for Climate Change who's leading on those discussions, and I support him in my role as Minister for Finance and Local Government.