Part of 3. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:28 pm on 15 February 2023.
Well, I understand those points, obviously. In terms of the relative priority of buses versus trains, clearly we need both. We need an integrated transport system. I think it’s wrong to characterise train users as somehow the privileged elite—that’s not the case—but it’s certainly the case that buses carry the majority of passengers, and, like him, buses are my priority. We have investment plans for the rail service, which will be significantly to the advantage of passengers, but they cost money. The money is committed and needs to be followed through, because there are penalty clauses and we wouldn’t realise any meaningful savings were we to stop doing that now. So, we are set on a course to continue investment in the rail industry, which will significantly help our modal shift ambitions, but it remains the case, and I agree, that buses have got the greatest potential. As I’ve explained previously, we’ve been working on a plan to try and reduce bus fares to do just that—to help bus passengers, existing bus passengers, and attract new ones on there. And until the Liz Truss budget blew up our economy we had a sporting chance of being able to do that, but now we simply don’t. That is a matter of deep regret to me. We have to make the best of the situation that we have got, and we are doing all we can to try and work with the industry and local authorities to try and get the best outcome we can with the money available.