NDM8369 Plaid Cymru Debate - Bus services

NDM8369 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Believes that bus services are essential to the connectivity of Welsh communities and for children travelling to school.

2. Notes that the Confederation of Passenger Transport has warned of further cuts to the provision of Welsh bus services without firm guarantees on long-term funding from the Welsh Government.

3. Regrets that almost 10 per cent of Wales’s bus routes were axed over the summer due to the end of Bus Emergency Scheme (BES) funding.

4. Expresses concern that the end of the Rural Development Programme Grant will lead to the full closure of the fflecsi Bwcabus service across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire by 31 October and calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that it’s reinstated.

5. Believes that Wales’s public transport network could be placed on a sustainable footing if Wales were to receive its fair share of HS2 funding.    

6. Calls on the Welsh Government to protect, invest in and expand bus services across Wales.

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete points 2, 3 and 4 and replace with:

Notes that by the end of 23/24 Welsh Government will have provided over £200m of emergency funding to the bus industry.

Notes the failure of the UK Government to keep its promise that we would not be worse off as a result of Brexit has led to local authorities withdrawing the Bwcabws service.