00:00Good afternoon, Cabinet Secretary.
00:02Could I ask for a statement, please, from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport
00:05to explain how the Welsh Government plans to better integrate public transport in rural communities,
00:12looking particularly at bus and train transfers, particularly in areas like Knighton.
00:18So Knighton is right on the border with England and Wales.
00:23In Wales, it feels very neglected.
00:25One of the things it does have is the heart of Wales line running to it,
00:30but there is very little opportunity for people to connect from the train and onto a bus.
00:38For example, the 9pm train arriving at Craven Arms to allow people to go on to Knighton
00:44misses totally the bus link to take people on.
00:49While the Bus Services Wales Bill promises to improve integration between bus and rail,
00:54questions actually still remain about what it will mean in reality.
00:58So, please, could I urge yourself and the Cabinet Secretary to set out how the Government
01:04will make sure that communities like Knighton don't feel left behind?
01:09Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds.
01:12And it is important that you draw attention today to communities like Knighton, beautiful communities.
01:21And I remember walking through and, in fact, staying in Knighton as a result of just walking, of course,
01:30there's such a place for visiting and for residents, of course.
01:37But I think this is where we need to make sure that Transport for Wales take into account
01:43the ways in which active travel trains on the heart of Wales lines link up in terms of the timetables
01:51and working closely with the local authority as well to make sure that there are those connections
01:58and that communities like Knighton are involved in that.
02:03So, Transport for Wales are developing multimodal approaches
02:07to improve public transport connectivity in the heart of Wales line area.
02:13And the bus bill, of course, will help us deliver through bus franchising.
02:18So, I'm sure that this is something which, in terms of the heart of Wales,
02:23and particularly Knighton, that there will be improvements in terms of that multimodal response to services.
02:32Jonathan Saunders.
02:33Jonathan Saunders.
02:35Jonathan Saunders.
02:36Jonathan Saunders.
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