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00:00Cabinet Secretary, can I just extend that wish from the MS for Blaenau Gwent and say
00:06that a review does need to be done into pricing and cost of tickets particularly, for the
00:13issue that was raised by the MS for Blaenau Gwent, but also what I'm just about to say
00:16now.
00:17Whereas we all, of course, welcome the opening of the new line between Ebbw Vale and Newport,
00:22the project obviously came to fruition because of funding from Welsh Government and the UK
00:27Government.
00:28It's a point that's not often made enough.
00:32Will you join me in welcoming the fact that a day return ticket from Ebbw Vale to Newport
00:37costs £8.70, but, however, a day return ticket from Abergavenny to Newport costs £13.20?
00:44These two journeys are almost exactly the same length, made with exactly the same train
00:49operator, yet the residents of one town are paying £5.50 more a day to travel more than
00:55the residents of the other.
00:56Can you explain why that is, please?
00:58Mark Reckless AMC1 Clwyd, I believe that a technical briefing
01:01is necessary for Members on this complicated matter, because the whole fare discrepancy
01:07issue was inherited by Transport for Wales from Arriva Trains Wales, so, too, the issues
01:13with the concessionary fare scheme as well.
01:15So, just in brief, to explain to Members with regard to the core values lines, Arriva Trains
01:21Wales introduced the third-off measure as a commercial decision.
01:25That was a commercial decision.
01:27It was not applicable to the subsidy that was provided.
01:31It was then subsequently rolled into the Transport for Wales contract, because withdrawing that
01:37sort of measure is very, very difficult, as Members, I'm sure, can imagine.
01:41I face calls from across Wales to introduce similar schemes everywhere, and I think it's
01:46absolutely vital, first and foremost, that we look at the discrepancy in fares, which
01:50Transport for Wales has been doing since it took over responsibility for the network,
01:56and that we also look to a longer-term view of how concessionary bus passes can be used
02:01in regard to the one network, one ticket, one timetable objective of Welsh Government.
02:06I don't want to rush into this.
02:08I think it's absolutely vital that we have a sustainable solution, and this is something
02:12that my predecessor worked hard on, to ensure that we have one network, one timetable, one
02:16ticket, that is applicable to the whole of Wales.