Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Hughes introduced the item and explained that Welsh Government (WG) were seeking views on the proposal to introduce new legislation to fundamentally change the way bus services were planned and operated in Wales and had launched a 12-week public consultation on how the new bus system would be designed. That consultation closed on 24^th June 2022.

Flintshire had sought an extension to the consultation to allow the new administration and ensure that newly elected Members were afforded the opportunity to learn about the proposals and provide a response.  Accordingly, WG had agreed to a small window beyond the consultation deadline, which would ensure that Flintshire Members were given the opportunity to respond to the proposals.

The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) added that the legislative proposals sought to essentially change the way that bus services were governed, co-ordinated and operated in Wales.  WG was intent on achieving a bus system that boosted social equality and was capable of delivering the scale of modal shift required by the climate emergency, which was governed and designed to serve the public interest, with the widest possible geographic coverage, fully integrated connections between different services, the highest possible service frequencies, and simple unified easy-to-use ticketing and information under the banner: ‘One Network, One Timetable, One Ticket: planning buses as a public service for Wales’.

The report outlined the proposals for the new bus legislation and highlighted some of the benefits and risks.

In response to a comment from Councillor Healey, the Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) explained that the formal response was a lengthy document but it was summarised within the report.  She added that a regional response was also being submitted, along with ones from the Mersey Dee Alliance and the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), all of which reflected the risks outlined in her report.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the proposals to introduce new legislation for bus services in Wales be welcomed, whilst noting some of the risks and challenges highlighted in the report; and

(b)       That the proposed response put forward by Flintshire to the White Paper Consultation be supported.