Cross Party Group Details:

Cross Party Group Title:	Public Transport
Group membership and office holders:
Name of Group Chair:	Carolyn Thomas MS
Names of other Members of the Senedd:	Jayne Bryant MS Jack Sargeant MS Jayne Bryant MS Vikki Howells MS Heledd Fychan MS Llyr Gruffydd MS Luke Fletcher MS Peredur Owen Griffiths MS Natasha Asghar MS Altaf Hussain MS
Name of Secretary and Organisation:	Aaron Hill, CPT Cymru
Names of other external members and organisations represented:	Jo Foxall, PTI Cymru Scott Pearson, Newport Transport Colin Thomas, CaBAC David Beer, Transport Focus Wales Stephen Hughes , individual Jane Reakes-Davies First Cymru Lee Robinson TfW Christine Boston Sustrans Cymru Barclay Davies Bus Users Cymru Cllr William Powell Transport Focus Wales Kaarine Ruta WLGA Peter Kingsbury Rail Future Rhiannon Jane Raftery Community Rail Network Rhiannon Hardiman Living Streets Ceri Taylor TfW Martin Murphy, Unite Union Lewis Brencher, Transport for Wales

Other meetings of the Group since the last AGM

Meeting 1
Date of Meeting:	24^th October 2022
Attendees:	Not recorded.
Summary of the issues discussed:
In this special session of the Cross-Party Group on Public Transport the group met with the Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters MS. The Welsh Government had recently published its refreshed bus reform white paper *One Network, One Timetable, One Ticket* which looks set to radically transform bus services in Wales by instituting a franchising regime and allowing local authorities to set up municipal bus companies. The Deputy Minister updated the group on the proposed legislation and provide an opportunity for question and answer

Meeting 2
Date of Meeting:	30^th May 2023
Attendees:	Carolyn Thomas (Chair) Jack Sargeant MS Huw Irranca-Davies MS Altaf Hussain MS Andrew Jenkins Billy Jones Ioan Bellin Beth Taylor Helen Boggins Aaron Hill (Secretariat) David Beer Cllr William Denston Powell Tim Peppin Peter Kingsbury Barclay Davies Sian Donovan Martin Murphy Sue Arrowsmith Ceri Taylor Kaarina Ruta Adam Keen Lee Robinson
Summary of the issues discussed:
Annual General Meeting, election of core officers: Chair: Carolyn Thomas MS Secretariat: Aaron Hill – CPT Cymru The Chair introduced two speakers for the discussion regarding the future of the bus industry in Wales. The first was given by Tim Peppin from the WLGA. Tim covered the following points during his presentation: Wider environmental issues facing the bus industry Behaviour from pandemic has continued - delivered shopping, working from home etc all impacted on bus numbers We need a Transport system that helps us become a more equal, prosperous and healthier society Proposals on franchising - on principal looking to move away from commercial to more planned network aimed at looking at needs and tackling disadvantage The Chair introduced the second of today’s speakers, Aaron Hill Director, CPT Cymru. Aaron covered the following points in his presentation: 2 Enormous impact of pandemic: Tighter lock down in Wales, Change in habits baked in ie wfh, Concessionary passengers have returned to bus usage less - 40/50% of pre-pandemic levels, The importance of the bus industry: £64bn of value added to the economy by bus users each year in the UK, 60% of all public transport journeys are made by bus, 35% bus users reported bus journeys help their mental health. Provides route out of isolation Funding challenges: Austerity, impact of pandemic, End of Bus Emergency Scheme - £150m provided over 3 years Challenges of the end of BES: Between 15-20% of all bus services will be cut in Wales when BES comes to an end, 3-400 bus drivers jobs at risk, Only 20% of services will remain unaltered What do the people of Wales think? If bus was not an option 41% would switch to car, 28% of people are worried about finding an alternative, 54% worried their travel will get more difficult, 92% worried travel to work or education will become more expensive if services cut. Where next? If we see drivers leave and passengers out of habit of catching the bus it will become harder to achieve aspirations around model switch. #BackTheBus campaign - timing important.

Meeting 3
Date of Meeting:	25^th September 2023
Attendees:	Carolyn Thomas MS Aaron Hill Luke FletcherMS Adam Keen Kaarina Ruta Adam Marshall David Beer Jo Foxall Lewis Brencher Martin Murphy Bob Saxby Barclay Davies Morgan Stephens Bob Saxby Barclay Davies Morgan Stevens Rob Pymm Dewi John Danny Grehan Jack Harries Andrew Jenkins Hannah McCarthy Ioan Bellin Ryland Doyle
Summary of the issues discussed:
Meeting of the CPG to celebrate Catch the Bus month. We received the following presentations: Funding & Services Update - Aaron Hill, CPT Cymru Catch the Bus Month – Barclay Davies, Bus Users UK TFW Bus Campaign – Lewis Brencher, TFW Discussed the lack of consequential funding from HS2 and how that funding would help secure public transport provision in Wales.

Professional lobbyists, voluntary organisations and charities the Group have met during the previous year.

[names of lobbyists/organisations/charities should be included as follows, e.g.]

Name of Organisation:	Name of Group:
NA
Name of Organisation:	Name of Group:

Annual Financial Statement:

Cross Party Group Title:	Public Transport
Date:	18/10/23
Name of Chair:	Carolyn Thomas MS
Name of Secretary and Organisation:	Aaron Hill, CPT Cymru

Group’s Expenses.	None.	£0.00
Costs of all goods.	No goods bought	£0.00
Benefits received by the group or individuals members from external bodies.	No benefits received.	£0.00
Any financial support or other support.	No financial support was received.	£0.00
No Hospitality received.
Date	Description and name of provider	Costs
		£0.00
Total costs		£0.00