Written question WQ87798
- Asked by
- Laura Anne JonesConservative
- To be answered by
- Minister for Climate Change
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 6 days
Question
How will the Minister ensure that people in South Wales East are still able to commute effectively in light of increased rail fares and the suspension of major road projects across Wales?
Answer
Answered by Deputy Minister for Climate Change
Re-prioritising our investment on new road schemes and increasing our investment in sustainable modes will enable both modal shift and wider benefits. These include less air pollution, more successful town and neighbourhood centres and a transport system that is accessible and fair for all. Our National Transport Delivery Plan sets out the programmes, projects and policies we will deliver.
You can also keep up to date with the work of the Burns Delivery Unit, which is implementing the 58 recommendations of the South East Wales Transport Commission at https://tfw.wales/projects/burns-delivery-unit
We understand that the rail fares increase has been significant for passengers in the current cost of living crisis, but we have tried to keep the increase as low as possible. Unfortunately given the disappointing budget settlement from the UK Government we cannot afford to deliver a lower increase or a wholescale freeze of rail fares in Wales.
The fare increase in Wales is the same as that in England.
Our budget settlement from the UK Government, combined with a reduced fare income post pandemic, means we face some difficult choices.
Despite the constraints to our budget, we are continuing to invest £800m in brand new trains to operate services across Wales, providing an increase in capacity on services as well as improvements to passenger facilities and comfort. These new trains are coming into operation now and we are confident that they will encourage more people to use rail services, helping to generate the income to support our public transport services.