North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has challenged the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure Ken Skates AM in the Assembly Chamber this week over bus and community transport services in north east Wales.
Mr Isherwood raised the issues during an Urgent Question on RJ’s of Wem, whose public service vehicle operator’s licence has been revoked by the Traffic Commissioner.
He said:
“In a Statement in October, you told the Assembly that you were ‘surprised and saddened by the recent and sudden demise of three local bus companies’, including GHA Coaches, providing services on school bus routes across north-east Wales as well as Cheshire and Shropshire. However, you were written to on your appointment in May - seven weeks before GHA Coaches shut - by a range of companies and organisations stating that they would be unable to sustain their services if grants continued to be received late, and that they were in danger of closing down because of the cash-flow problems that this was causing - of course, referring to the Welsh Government’s Bus Services Support Grant, which is also funding community transport schemes.
“The problem in Flintshire has been compounded by the Council’s unique proposal to transfer bus services to the community, despite the excellent Community Transport providers there stating that they’re not bus companies and they’re not interested in providing community bus work.
“How, therefore, will you address these issues, not only because of the imminent and current problems, but also the bigger problems coming down the road that will impact on community transport and wider community bus route users in terms of the continuity and advance payment of the Bus Services Support Grant, noting that we can’t wait for another review in the new year, this money needs to be in their bank accounts before the start of the next financial year?”
In his reply the Secretary stated: “I think the criticism specifically of Flintshire County Council was politically motivated, if I may say so, because there are other local authorities utilising GHA’s services. The fact of the matter is that Flintshire County Council - actually, unlike other local authorities - have retained a Service Support Grant of over £1 million. As a consequence, they have been able to restore services in many parts of Flintshire.”
Mr Isherwood added: “This was a characteristically cheap shot by the Cabinet Secretary who ignored warnings and did nothing until after the event. The concerns in Flintshire were raised with me by Community Transport providers in the voluntary sector, not Parties or politicians, and they deserve greater respect.”