Motion NDM8229 as amended:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Acknowledges that the Welsh Government has made over £150m of additional funding available to the bus industry throughout the pandemic and to support its recovery from it.

2. Notes that bus passenger numbers have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels and patterns of usage have changed.

3. Notes that the initial 3-month extension to the bus emergency scheme offers short-term certainty to bus operators to support the development of a base bus network.

4. Supports the Welsh Government’s longer term plans to reform the bus industry through regulation.

5. Supports the Welsh Government’s intention to move away from emergency-style funding at the earliest opportunity to a funding package that supports the transition to franchising.