Transport (Wales) Bill

Both noble Lords are hung up on the fact that railways are not mentioned in the Bill. It seems to have escaped their attention that buses are not mentioned in the Bill. That is because we are talking about a Bill about transport; it is not about a specific part of the transport system. That gives a major clue to another problem that noble Lords have raised: an integrated transport policy. That is what we are talking about in the Transport (Wales) Bill. It is about the development of an integrated transport policy that will ensure that a Wales transport strategy is reflected in local transport plans prepared for each region. There may be some significant issues to worry about in the Bill but the absence of the word ““railway”” is not one of them. The strategy will cover all modes of transport, including rail, which is a vital element in creating a truly integrated transport system in Wales. In my letter to noble Lords I wrote about an integrated transport policy because in our view it can be taken as read that if you have a transport policy there is no point in developing it unless it is integrated. I apologise if I made that point over clear in my letter to the two noble Lords. At Second Reading I assured noble Lords that rail services and other facilities would form a central part of the strategy. There is no need for rail, as opposed to any other form of transport, to be especially highlighted in the wording of the Bill. I hope that I have convinced the noble Lords, Lord Roberts of Conwy and Lord Roberts of Llandudno, on this point and that the amendment will be withdrawn.