Huw Irranca-Davies AM: Can I ask for one statement, and a
reminder of a debate I've asked for previously, actually. The first
is a statement in the eventuality that Ministers are aware of any
uncertainty over the announcement of First Bus—of any danger that
that might pose to their services with First Cymru. We've had a
letter of reassurance from the operators in Wales that, at present,
they're fully...Request free trial
AM: Can I ask for one statement, and
a reminder of a debate I've asked for previously,
actually. The first is a statement in the eventuality
that Ministers are aware of any uncertainty over the
announcement of First Bus—of any danger that that might
pose to their services with First Cymru. We've had a
letter of reassurance from the operators in Wales that,
at present, they're fully committed to the service in
Wales, but, of course, this goes on the back at the
moment of uncertainty around local bus services, not
least because of the continued squeeze on local authority
funding, which means that some, including in my own area,
are now unable to offer subsidy for bus routes. So, I
wouldn't want to see First Cymru injecting further
uncertainty in the bus routes that sustain people's
ability to get to work and socialise and so on.
(Minister for
Finance and Trefnydd): Thank
you very much to for that
invitation. I will start by firstly addressing some of
the points about First Cymru. Obviously, the First Cymru
buses operate predominantly in south-west Wales, based in
Swansea, and, as says, they have
already provided reassurance that it does envisage
business as usual for its bus network, as a result of a
reorganisation of the FirstGroup's business. But,
nonetheless, we will obviously be keeping a very close
eye on the situation, and keeping in very close touch
with the business, for any possible implications for bus
services as a result of FirstGroup's proposals for
reorganising its business, including any potential sale
of the bus arm. I will ask the Minister for transport to
provide you with some further information about our bus
services support grant, which is a £25 million annual
grant to local authorities to subsidise buses and
community transport services, and also some further
information about what we're doing to support buses in
those areas that are more remote, and on those routes
that might not be commercially viable.
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