Written question WQ96734

On 1 April 2025 I set out our commitment to put people at the centre of our policies, planning and delivery of transport services and infrastructure though our Travel for all approach. This will include measures such as rail and bus accessibility audits to understand the baseline of provision we have in place, and how we can work to improve standards across Wales.

The bus Bill will help lay the foundations of a network that prioritises the people who rely on these services. It will allow us to prioritise making services more accessible, helping people feel safe and welcomed as a result.

Our new TrawsCymru vehicles are compliant with public service vehicle accessibility regulations and the latest accessible information regulations. Passengers benefit from bilingual next stop displays and audio announcements, as well as induction loop functionality. We’re also working to increase the number of wheelchair spaces available. We’ll build on these successes and renew the bus fleet in Wales to the level of the latest accessibility regulations as we implement bus reform.

We will support Transport for Wales’ Access and Inclusion Panel to evolve its remit to become the Disabled People’s Travel Panel, a Panel led by disabled people. Its remit will include all modes of transport and the interactions between them and provide advice and assurance to Welsh Government and Transport for Wales to make our networks more accessible and inclusive to disabled people, ensuring they feel safe and welcome.

Transport for Wales will also establish a dedicated travel for all team to work across all transport modes to embed accessibility and inclusivity in all aspects of our work. It will become a centre of excellence for transport professionals across Wales, including local authorities and corporate joint committees, to get professional advice and support in designing and delivering accessible schemes, seeking out best practice from around the world.

This will include how to better involve people with a wide range of lived experiences in our work. Without a full understanding of the barriers people face every day, we will never be able to eliminate them. The team will support local government to ensure that they have genuine involvement so that, as they deliver their regional transport plans, they thoroughly assess the impacts of their plans on people and communities and involve them in designing and delivering their transport schemes.