A stronger political will is needed to solve the problems facing
bus services in Wales and encourage more people to leave their
cars at home, according to a new report from a National Assembly
committee.
Despite carrying more passengers than any other mode of public
transport the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee was
told that buses are the ‘Cinderella service’ caught in a vicious
circle which sees more cars result in more congestion, impacting
timetables, raising costs and making people less likely to use
them.
Prioritised and planned properly by the Welsh Government and
local authorities, buses could ease congestion, reduce air
pollution and improve health standards.
“The bus is often overlooked when we talk about our transport
network. Yet the bus carries more passengers than any other form
of public transport, and is an indispensable tool for workers,
learners, shoppers and leisure travellers in their daily lives,”
said , Chair of the Economy,
Infrastructure and Skills Committee.
“At its heart, this is an issue that requires stronger political
will. Broadly speaking, the powers, levers, and legislation are
in place.
“What we need now is a Welsh Government action plan which pulls
together what works, and encourages local authorities to adopt
and adapt good practice.”
The Committee calls on the Welsh Government to publish an action
plan setting out how it will tackle the impact of traffic
congestion on bus services in Wales. The Committee wants the plan
to include:
- Recognition of the scale and extent of the impacts of
congestion on the bus industry in Wales, and a firm commitment to
tackling the issue;
- How Welsh Government will support local authorities to work in
partnership with bus operators to develop and implement bus
priority measures, including changes to funding to ensure long
term, sustainable solutions; and
- Assessment of the full range of tools available and how useful
they might be in tackling congestion’s impact on Welsh bus
services, including: implementation of park and ride schemes,
congestion charging, enhanced parking charges, workplace parking
levies, and bus priority measures.
