"The Welsh Labour Government has announced it is ending the Bus Emergency Scheme on the 24th July.
Industry body Coach and Bus Operators Cymru which represents small firms, has previously raised fears of 65% to 100% of services being cut.
This would have a devastating impact on our communities- making our most vulnerable residents less able to use our town and village centres; workers less able to get to work; and increase car traffic and congestion in our communities; which appears to be in stark contrast to Labour and Plaid Cymru's Cooperation Agreement net zero and public transport strategies.
What planning- financial, operational and logistical- is Carmarthenshire County Council undertaking to ensure we have the same level of bus services across Carmarthenshire after the 24th July.”
Minutes:
(NOTE: Councillor S. Davies reiterated her earlier declaration of interest in this item and remained in the meeting during its consideration)
"The Welsh Labour Government has announced it is ending the Bus Emergency Scheme on the 24th July.
Industry body Coach and Bus Operators Cymru which represents small firms, has previously raised fears of 65% to 100% of services being cut.
This would have a devastating impact on our communities- making our most vulnerable residents less able to use our town and village centres; workers less able to get to work; and increase car traffic and congestion in our communities; which appears to be in stark contrast to Labour and Plaid Cymru's Cooperation Agreement net zero and public transport strategies.
What planning- financial, operational and logistical- is Carmarthenshire County Council undertaking to ensure we have the same level of bus services across Carmarthenshire after the 24th July”.
Response by Councillor Edward Thomas, Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services:-
Your question raises a few points which I’ll respond to in order if you don’t mind.
Yes, Welsh Government had announced the ending of the Bus Emergency Scheme on the 24th July. However, last Friday, and only last Friday, it was announced that Welsh Government are making £46m available in the form of a Bus Transition Fund for the whole financial year. This funding will keep the strategic Traws Cymru services running. But, it’s also very disappointing for us to see that the Deputy Minister has continued with his plans to end the Bus Emergency Scheme despite cross party support opposing the cuts but, we welcome that a lifeline has been extended for the current year.
In this Chamber only a few weeks ago there was agreement across the Chamber opposing any reduction to funding for services. This council has been categorically and consistently opposing the cuts to the Bus Emergency Scheme and this has been raised by myself and the Leader of the Council via the WLGA and the Southwest Wales CJC.
I must say that I cannot fathom the plan the Deputy Minister has – on one hand he seems to want to encourage us out of our cars and onto public transport but doesn’t seem to want too much public transport either. Anyway, as I said, we aren’t happy with the cuts, but we understand that the reductions in services across Carmarthenshire will be nowhere near the 65%-100% quoted in your question. As I understand it at this present moment, we’ll only lose a small number of services, but these discussions are ongoing at a regional basis.
I agree with your point that regarding the loss of Public Transport ‘making the most vulnerable residents less able to use our town and village centres; workers less able to get to work; and increase car traffic and congestion in our communities’. We need to ensure that our residents have access to public transport and, with the current cost of living crisis a car is fast becoming a luxury that some can’t afford. We will continue to engage with Welsh Government to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
You mention that this is in stark contrast to the Labour and Plaid Cymru Co-operation Agreement but, of course bus subsidies do not form part of that co-operation Agreement. What the Co-operation Agreement does identify is the need to develop metro systems in parts of Wales and the need to move towards Net Zero Carbon.
If you’ll allow me to dwell for a second on your reference to ‘stark contrast’, there’s a very stark contrast between six billion pounds and no pounds at all isn’t there. Adequate consequential funding would resolve this situation. I refer, of course to HS2, classed as an ‘England and Wales project by the Conservative Government – even though it does not cross the border into Wales, so how can it be England and Wales Project. Consequential funding, has been provided in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and should provide according to Welsh Government calculations funding of £6bn under the Barnett Formula. But, the Tory Government continue to consider the route through England as a service to Wales – I can’t work that one out. I think we need to look at the maps there. As you can appreciate six billion pounds would enable us to do so much in terms of developing public transport in Southwest Wales and in Carmarthenshire and, I’m sure that you will agree with me that the Tory Government in London have within their gift to right this wrong.
In terms of what we are doing, well that is influenced by the announcement made by the Deputy Minister last week and it appears that on a county level, as I mentioned earlier, we may not see the cuts to services we originally predicted. However, all parties recognise the role of public transport in enabling access to services and are working together to:
1. Explore the implications of a national reduction in funding support,
2. To work up network plans that a reduction of funding will cause and,
3. To present a case for further support as the sector continues the slow process of recovery following the pandemic and other wider economic pressures.
It has been a difficult process. No one wants to see a reduction in services for communities, particularly the vulnerable. Work is ongoing at a regional and national level. I am, however, pleased to advise that due to the efforts of the County Council and other local authorities, via the WLGA, a joint working position has been reached where funding will be provided to the sectors to minimise the risk to services currently operating to the end of the year.
Further work is continuing, as all parties work through the Deputy Minister’s announcement of last Friday. It is clear that the Welsh Government need to outline a long term funding solution for bus services in Wales and there is a need to develop a clear vision for both rail, bus and community transport in Southwest Wales. As I mentioned earlier, there is a real need for the UK Conservative Government to step up to the plate and provide the people of Wales and Carmarthenshire with a fair allocation of resources to deliver that vision.
Supplementary question by Mr Evans:-
Residents in LLangunnor ad Nantycaws are extremely concerned that in just five weeks’ time bus services will be cut. So when will the public be made fully aware by Carmarthenshire County Council of what services will be cut after the 24th July.
Response by Councillor Edward Thomas, Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services:-
Thankyou Mr Evans for that supplementary question. I will obviously need to find out about the services for Llangunnor and, as I said, we are working across the region on the effects of this announcement only made last Friday. So, we are working collaboratively together.