Transport (Wales) Bill

Services at a lot of junction stations are deliberately timed so that they do not connect. As I said at Second Reading, Arriva Trains Wales will publish a new timetable in December when a lot of those problems will be put right so that some connections are made. I am not talking about trains that are four hours late. One of the reasons that the train to which I referred was so late was that the service terminated at Ledbury, passengers were turned out on to the platform and told that there was another train coming behind, but it did not arrive until an hour and a quarter later. I shall not delay the Committee with all sorts of examples but a timetable that has regard to connections must be constructed. My aim is to ensure not that if a train is delayed by a long time people will make the connection, as obviously they will not, but that there is an opportunity to connect. I shall refer to bus services in connection with later amendments. I seek to achieve connectivity because it is as important as punctuality.