26 June 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Well, when you say a veto, there's never been a veto in place for this sort of change; it's all been conducted through local authorities engaging with citizens. And we've also—
26 June 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Shall I just give the timeframes and just outline some of the work on the guidance, if that's all right? So, there are three phases to the work that we're undertaking. The first phase is about listening to people, and then the second phase—and it runs in…
26 June 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Yes and yes. I mean, the media—. I've got no control over how the media report on issues. I think, by and large, the media coverage was really accurate. If there were stories that said that we were conducting a u-turn or dropping the policy, then that perhaps…
19 June 2024 , Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Chepstow bypass
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I'd like to begin by thanking the Conservatives for bringing forward this debate today. I know the idea of a bypass for Chepstow has been circulated for many years—indeed, it predates devolution—and I've listened with great…
19 June 2024 , Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Chepstow bypass
Moved.
11 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: D-day and Armed Forces Week
Yes, I absolutely will, and I know that Joyce Watson, throughout her career, has done so as well, has been a powerful advocate for the interests of veterans and the armed forces that we see serving on a daily basis in Wales and further afield as well in…
11 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: D-day and Armed Forces Week
Can I thank Janet Finch-Saunders for taking the time, as she outlined, to pay respect on multiple occasions, to those who gave their lives and to those who are still suffering today and their families in north Wales, and in particular in her constituency? It…
11 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: D-day and Armed Forces Week
Can I thank Rhianon Passmore for an incredibly heartfelt contribution this afternoon and for the work that Rhianon does more widely, year round, in promoting the armed forces and promoting the value of our veterans in our communities across Wales? Rhianon…
11 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: D-day and Armed Forces Week
Can I thank Paul Davies for his contribution and the question regarding the future of war memorials? Some of course are protected through Cadw designation as monuments, but many, many, many more are not, and they are largely protected by virtue of civic…
11 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: D-day and Armed Forces Week
Can I thank Jenny Rathbone for her contribution, and more importantly, for the events that she hosted at lunchtime today in the Pierhead building? The accounts of psychological impact, those who were attending, were potent and very difficult to listen to…
11 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: D-day and Armed Forces Week
Peredur, can I thank you for recognising the value of our armed forces—our serving personnel and our veterans and their families? I think to the point that you made towards the end of your contribution, there is no place for hate and discrimination…
11 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: D-day and Armed Forces Week
Diolch, James Evans. Can I thank James sincerely for a heartfelt tribute to our armed forces and our veterans? I know James is clearly passionate about this area of Welsh Government responsibility, and I do thank him for his questions today. There were a…
11 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: D-day and Armed Forces Week
Diolch, Llywydd. Last week marked the eightieth anniversary of D-day, a day long in planning, heavy in sacrifice, suffering and loss from many countries, and a critical milestone in the liberation of Europe from Nazi oppression. This year is particularly…
4 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: Transforming Rail: Update on the delivery of the South Wales Metro and the Fleet Upgrade Programme
I thank John Griffiths for his questions. I would agree, the presence of CAF in Newport is enormously important for the region and for the whole of Wales. We're very proud to have been able to attract CAF to Wales, building those fantastic 197 trains that…
4 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: Transforming Rail: Update on the delivery of the South Wales Metro and the Fleet Upgrade Programme
These are superb questions that I have raised recently and will be continuing to raise with Transport for Wales in the coming weeks. I am meeting with the chief executive in a couple of weeks' time, and it was my intention, actually, to raise the issue of…
4 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: Transforming Rail: Update on the delivery of the South Wales Metro and the Fleet Upgrade Programme
Can I thank Jenny Rathbone for her questions and her contribution, and agree that Lee Waters made a huge contribution to this ambitious project? I'd also like to pay tribute to my predecessor as transport Minister, Edwina Hart, and Edwina Hart's predecessor…
4 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: Transforming Rail: Update on the delivery of the South Wales Metro and the Fleet Upgrade Programme
Dirprwy Lywydd, can I thank Delyth Jewell for her questions? I share many of the concerns the Member has raised this afternoon. I would say at the outset that I do not have specific detail about the trains that are going to be coming into use in the next…
4 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: Transforming Rail: Update on the delivery of the South Wales Metro and the Fleet Upgrade Programme
Well, can I thank Natasha Asghar for her questions and for her positive tone, indeed? I would agree entirely that the prospect of integrated public transport across Wales is exciting and is shared across the political spectrum. And through the bus Bill and…
4 June 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: Transforming Rail: Update on the delivery of the South Wales Metro and the Fleet Upgrade Programme
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Back in November 2015, the then First Minister Carwyn Jones described the south Wales metro as representing the future of public transport in south-east Wales. With the timetable change taking place on the core Valleys lines this week…
22 May 2024 , Plenary
Debate on petition P-06-1407, 'We want the Welsh Government to rescind and remove the disastrous 20mph law'
I think it's important to stress, Llywydd, that there is evidence from around the world, and the balance of evidence demonstrates that reducing the speed limit, primarily because it reduces the stopping distance of vehicles, actually does lead to a reduction…
22 May 2024 , Plenary
Debate on petition P-06-1407, 'We want the Welsh Government to rescind and remove the disastrous 20mph law'
Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to thank Jack Sargeant and the members of the Petitions Committee for bringing forward today's debate. It is, as many Members have said, the biggest petition that this Senedd has ever seen, and I'd like to thank Members across the…
22 May 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Can I thank Delyth Jewell for this question? On the points that she raises, actually, we've found, through our research, that the primary reason people choose not to use bus services is because they fear that they're not going to be on time or they're going…
22 May 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
The provision of good-quality local bus services remains at the core of our vision to create a fully sustainable and integrated public transport system for South Wales East. As well as providing better services, we are working hard to modernise the bus fleet…
22 May 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
I'd very much like to thank Paul Davies for the question and the invitation—this sounds intriguing. If we can deliver the outcomes at less cost, that would be fabulous. I'm very interested in what he may be able to share with us. So, yes, absolutely, I'll…
22 May 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Of course. We are currently upgrading the A40 between Llanddewi Velfrey and Redstone Cross, and our current list of strategic network improvements is contained within the national transport delivery plan. We'll continue to monitor sections of the network that…
