, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Yes, but it was cool, it was nice. We've got trains with hardly any windows now, and the numbers that I've been on where the conductors have said, 'The air con's not working.' Sort the air con out, please.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
In your recent statement, you referred to 90 per cent of journeys being on new trains by the end of the programme. The Welsh Government has previously said that 95 per cent of journeys would be on new trains by the end of 2024. Has your target changed? And…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
I've raised it with them and they've come back to me and said, 'There is no signalling issue.' I'm going back to them again.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
You don't think 2027 is too soon. You're absolutely confident.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Is it going to be done this Senedd term?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Oh, okay. And then, can you set out your assessment of the risks involved in moving from a deregulated to a regulated bus market, including how you are managing these in the planning and delivery of franchising?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
But, do you know?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Is the taxi and private hire vehicle reform legislation still on track for this current Senedd?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Twenty-two. Do you intend to make any significant changes to the planned approach to bus reform set out in both the 2022 White Paper and the recent 'Our Roadmap to Bus Reform'?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Oh, sorry, I beg your pardon.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Yes, okay. Thanks, Chair. Is the Welsh Government on track to meet its target of 50 per cent of—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Yes, but at least you're looking into it.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
It's the third Menai crossing that I'm interested in.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Is the Welsh Government—? You told North Wales Live in April that you'd consider putting the Menai crossing and other road schemes back on the table. How would this approach be consistent with the Welsh Government's climate obligations? North Wales Live…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
But what about the cars that are on our roads now, the EVs?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
There's a theory, and it's a proven theory, actually, that electric cars are harder wearing on road surfaces. Have you taken that into account with any new—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
What volume of responses have you had?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Can you outline the engagement process that will be followed, particularly how you will ensure that the residents living in those areas subject to speed limits are fully engaged?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
I've just seen that there's been a lot of rah-rah about the reduced number of accidents, but, you know, the reality—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
So, how are we getting so many higher serious injuries? A question to you on—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Can you comment on the trend in road accident data overall, for all speed limits? For example, while total fatalities has decreased slightly in 2023 compared to 2022, the number of serious injuries has increased by 99 to 891. How do you rationalise this?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Yes. Two observations I have are—I'm having lots of people asking me now—there was the cost of implementing it; who's going to pick up the cost for putting it back, any roads that need to go back to 30 mph? And also, in terms of where there is this dispute…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Okay. Two observations I have—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
Yes. So that we can have consistency across Wales. Now, that will end in July, the process of listening to the public, the public being able to make suggestions on specific routes, and the work that we've conducted with local authorities and the County…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
General scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
It is about confidence, yes.
