Bus Services (Wales) Bill

The Bus Services (Wales) Bill (“the Bill”) has been referred to the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee (“the Committee”) for Stage 1 scrutiny of the general principles of the Bill.

 

According to the Welsh Government, The aim of the Bill is to provide a joined up public transport network that is safe, integrated, environmentally sustainable, efficient, economic and responds to meet the transport needs of the public.

 

The key purposes of the Bill are to:

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>>>require the Welsh Ministers to identify those local bus services that are required for the purpose of providing safe, integrated, sustainable, efficient and economic transport in Wales;

>>>require the Welsh Ministers to consult on and publish a Welsh Bus Network Plan setting out the key particulars of those services;

>>>require the Welsh Ministers to secure the provision of these services, as far as reasonably practicable, via local bus service contracts (franchising), direct provision, local bus service permit, or by relying on the provisions of services of a type mentioned in section 18;

>>>enable local authorities to create new municipal bus companies;

>>>prohibit the provision of local bus services in Wales except where those services are secured by the Welsh Minsters as described above, or provided by another operator under a permit, or are within certain limited exceptions specified in the Bill. The Bill will also enable sanctions to be imposed where services are operated in breach of this restriction;

>>>make provision for the collection of data and information-sharing; and

>>>enable regulations to be made to apply the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (“TUPE”) to certain circumstances arising out of the Bill.

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Further details about the Bill can be found in its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum (PDF 2.3MB)

 

To help inform its scrutiny, the Committee is seeking views on:

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>>>The general principles of the Bill and the need for legislation to deliver the stated policy intention;

>>>The Bill’s provisions, including whether they are workable and will deliver the stated policy intention: 

>>>Key concepts and general objectives (Part 1 sections 1 to 4)

>>>Functions of the Welsh Ministers relating to local bus services (Part 2 sections 5 to 20).

>>>Restriction on providing local bus services (Part 3 sections 21 to 24)

>>>Information and data (Part 4 sections 25 to 31)

>>>Local authority powers and duties (Part 5 sections 32 to 34)

>>>Miscellaneous and general (Part 6 sections 35 to 44).

>>>Any potential barriers to the implementation of the Bill’s provisions and whether the Bill takes account of them; 

>>>The appropriateness of the powers in the Bill for Welsh Ministers to make subordinate legislation (set out in Chapter 5 of Part 1 of the Explanatory Memorandum).

>>>Whether there are any unintended consequences arising from the Bill; and 

>>>The financial implications of the Bill (as set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum).

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Submitting your views

The Committee would like to invite you to submit written evidence to assist in its consideration of the Bill.

 

We would like you to submit your views by completing this online form.

 

A downloadable template is available for you to draft your response before submitting it, if you wish. However, please do not submit your response on that template via email. Responses should be submitted via the online form.

 

We are keen to hear from as many people and organisations as possible. If you would like to submit your views but do not want/are not able to complete the online form, please write to the Committee (SeneddClimate@senedd.wales) and the Committee’s clerks can arrange with you a different way for your voice to be heard. The Committee’s postal address and telephone number can be found at the end of the consultation page.

 

The closing date for submission to this consultation is 13 May 2025.

 

Please refer to the Bill page for further details and up-to-date information on the Bill.

 

Providing Written Evidence 

The Senedd has two official languages, Welsh and English. 

 

In line with the Senedd’s Official Languages Scheme, the Committee welcomes contributions in both or either of our official languages, and we ask organisations that are subject to Welsh Language standards or schemes to respond in line with their own obligations. Please inform the Committee when submitting responses if you intend to provide a translation at a later date.  

 

Please see guidance for those providing evidence for committees. 

 

Disclosure of information 

Please ensure that you have considered the Senedd’s policy on disclosure of information before submitting information to the Committee.