Transport (Wales) Bill

My Lords, my noble friend Lord Evans gave, as usual, a cogent and persuasive introduction to a Bill in his care. The noble Lord, Lord Roberts of Conwy, gave, as only he can as a long-serving former Minister on Welsh affairs, an experienced, informed and, at times, slightly rumbustious view of the Bill. The noble Lord, Lord Bradshaw, has unmatchable insight into rail travel—after all, he has done it and he gave a positive report. The noble Earl, Lord Mar and Kellie, made a tangential and modest remark about the great north Wales slate strike. It remains, I have to say, a scarring sliver of our social history and still stirs the blood on its memory. The quarry museum and the great Penrhyn Castle remain as reminders of that history. It might be interesting to have a conversation rather than a debate with the noble Lord about that historic moment that so greatly scarred our people. I welcome the Bill, which greatly enhances the Wales Assembly Government’s capabilities of developing an economic transport system. Geography challenges the desire to unify the land of our fathers. The grain of the land makes it harder to travel from the north to the south of Wales and, indeed, easier to travel east to Liverpool, to Birmingham and to Bristol, or so it used to be for generations after Wales become an industrial nation. But now there are very positive factors. For instance, the building of the M4 motorway and the two mighty bridges across the River Severn estuary, plus the inauguration of the 125 high-speed train of some years ago, and the expansion of Cardiff Airport. These modern transport infrastructure initiatives have transformed south-east Wales. That region’s economy is now one of the most dynamic in western Europe. Improved communications have made a massive difference to this part of Wales. Of course they remain imperfect, but inward investment has materialised on the back of improving strategic communications. I think that the old Welsh Office and the Welsh Assembly can be proud of their foresight and of their investment. I recollect, as a Minister with transport responsibilities in the administrations of the late Lords Wilson and Callaghan, that the Welsh Office officials, with whom I worked, were of the highest calibre. They laid good foundations. I personally owe them a great deal. I believe that the current assembly team is of the same quality. They certainly care. The Wales Assembly Government have earned and deserve the additional powers presaged in the Bill. We can only welcome Clause 2 and its dwelling upon the requirement of a strategy. That strategy I believe will be successful because the clause emphasises consultation with the local authorities of Wales. That must be the way forward. As the Minister said, Clause 8 itemises a Public Transport Users’ Committee for Wales. As Wales is a small nation, I think that we can make this committee a success and the transport providers truly responsive to the long-suffering and frequently ignored passengers. Can we, with special measures, seek to protect and reassure female passengers as this legislation becomes functioning reality? Surely there are initiatives that we might take. I suggest, as and when it is possible, that the Welsh Assembly should consider electrifying the Wrexham-Birkenhead railway. The axis of that railway line travels through a densely populated and increasingly prosperous community in north-east Wales. There would be a certain economic return from that investment. It is not, however, a cheap scheme. Secondly, I think that the Assembly should urgently take passenger rail services into Deeside Industrial Park in north-east Wales. With over 6,000 employees, the Deeside Industrial Park is one of the foremost industrial locations in western Europe. It should have rail services. Thirdly, the Assembly should set up quite speedily air services from Cardiff to locations in north Wales. Our seat of government, Cardiff, is truly far away from Llangefni in Anglesey, from Caernarfon in Gwynedd and from Hawarden in Flintshire. I think that an urgent, imaginative approach could shrink Wales and unite it as well. Her Majesty’s Government uses the phrase ““Intra Wales Scheduled Air Services””. Whatever they may be described as, can we please have them urgently, at least to see whether they are viable? Fourthly, I hope that the Assembly will guarantee the future of the Central Wales line and lobby constantly for the continued retention of the Shrewsbury-Newport railway line. Perhaps the Assembly should institute studies designed to make the north/south road link a faster and better road. I need to declare at this stage that I am president of the Wrexham-Birkenhead Rail Users Association—a most honourable and long-standing voluntary group of dedicated enthusiasts and often employees of the industry. To conclude, the Welsh Assembly is not yet two terms old but it has come a long way quickly. It has earned the vote of confidence that this Bill represents. With this legislation in its hands, the Assembly Members and its industrious Cabinet Ministers surely can have greater confidence in their capacity to get things done in the sphere of transport.