A National Assembly for Wales Committee is calling for the devolution of more powers relating to public transport in Wales.
The Enterprise and Business Committee has concluded that the Welsh Government should have powers over bus regulation and registration, a greater role in the rail franchising process and a statutory arrangement with Network Rail.
Members of the committee believe these powers are necessary to provide an easy and seamless public transport system across the country.
During the inquiry, the committee was told that there is a ‘silent problem’ of transport poverty across Wales with a quarter of all households without a car.
It was also told that more than 1.5 million people are isolated and unable to access key services because of inadequate transport, particularly in rural areas.
But in calling for the devolution of more powers, the committee also concluded that not enough is being done with those powers already devolved. Members felt in particular that policy and funding structures were not conducive to an integrated approach.
The committee states that there is a worrying lack of ambition and imagination among some of the individuals and organisations that are key to the planning and delivery of integration.
Nick Ramsay AM, Chair of the Enterprise and Business Committee, said: “The committee believes that people in Wales should be able to use a simple and seamless integrated public transport system for whatever purpose, be it popping to the local shop or travelling across Wales for an important appointment.
“As the committee heard, ‘integrated public transport is a devilishly complicated thing to achieve’ but we believe that the current systems do not work well enough.
“There needs to be a greater emphasis on pressing travel operators to work together with stakeholders to implement best practice in co-ordinating timetables, connecting services and publishing real time information for bus, rail and community transport networks.
“The committee is calling for the devolution of significant powers regarding rail and bus services to assist the Welsh Government in driving its integrated public transport plans forward.
“But we also believe that the Welsh Government must do more with the tools already at its disposal, including the forthcoming planning reform and active travel Bills to ensure effective co-ordination and delivery of policy at national and regional levels.”
The Committee makes 25 recommendations in its report including:
- Continue to lobby the UK Government for an enhanced role in the rail franchising process as it affects Wales, particularly powers to specify franchise agreements that comprise predominantly Wales-only services, such as the current Wales and Borders Franchise;
- Continue to lobby the UK Government for bus regulation and registration powers to be devolved to Wales, including making the Traffic Commissioner for Wales accountable to the Welsh Ministers;
- Use all the powers at its disposal to drive public transport integration, and ensure staff at all levels of government have the skills and tools to deliver effective public transport policy; and
- Press all transport operators to work together and with relevant stakeholders to implement best practice in coordinating timetables, connecting services and publishing real time information to provide seamless links between bus, rail and community transport networks.
During the inquiry Members of the Committee undertook journeys only using public transport as part of their working day. These journeys were filmed for a series of video diaries.