Editor<p><strong>Welsh Government lays out plan for major changes to bus services in Wales</strong></p><p>A new Bill has been laid in the Senedd which proposes bringing bus services back within public sector control.</p><p>The plan for a London-style franchise system would allow transport officials to decide what bus services are provided. Bus companies would then bid for contracts instead of operating their own routes.</p><p>Other parts of the UK, including Manchester, have started introducing bus franchises.</p><p>The Welsh Government says the changes would encourage more bus travel, benefitting passengers and local communities.</p><p>Concerns have been raised on affordability of bus travel as several <a href="https://swanseabaynews.com/2025/03/18/bus-fares-to-increase-from-end-of-march/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">local bus operators announced price increases</a>. Swansea Council have been running a series of <a href="https://swanseabaynews.com/2025/03/08/free-bus-travel-to-return-to-swansea-for-easter-holidays/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">free bus days</a> during school holidays to make travel more affordable in the city.</p> <span class="">Advertisement</span><p></p> <p>The <em>Bus Services (Wales) Bill</em> outlines how bus services will be planned and co-ordinated at a national level and delivered principally through franchised contracts by private, third and public sector operators.</p><p>Welcoming the Bill, the <strong>Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates</strong> said it had the potential to transform local bus services across the whole of Wales.</p><p><strong>He said:</strong> “This is a historic day for public transport in Wales, as proposals for bus reform begin their journey through the Senedd. This is about putting people first by providing one network, one timetable and one ticket across Wales.</p><p>“Change is needed. While many bus services work well, and some areas are well-served, it is not the case everywhere and for everyone. I want to see a bus network which puts people and communities first, with reliable, affordable and easy-to-use services; joined-up services which link with other forms of transport such as trains and active travel.</p><p>“The benefits of better bus services are clear and include increasing equity for those who need public transport the most and providing an alternative to the car.”</p> <span class="">Advertisement</span><p></p> <p><strong>Ken Skates added: </strong>“We’ve already seen how an integrated bus service can work, for example the Traws services, including the T1 service which has a ticket which is fully integrated with rail. Across North Wales we have the 1bws ticket which is valid on virtually every local bus service in the area. These are examples of what integrated services can deliver.</p><p>“I don’t underestimate the scale of change the proposals in this Bill will deliver, and for that reason it will be rolled out region by region. But the change will be transformational.”</p><p>Plaid Cymru are supporting the bill, however criticised the 5 years it has taken to bring the legislation to the Senedd.</p><p><strong>Plaid Cymru’s Transport spokesman, Peredur Owen Griffiths, said: </strong>“Bus franchising is a step that is integral to the future of sustainable, affordable and reliable bus services for the future, which makes the Labour government’s delay in its implementation frustrating.”</p><p>The Welsh Conservatives have criticised the plan saying the Bill raises serious concerns about centralisation, lack of competition, financial sustainability, and the risk of turning the bus network into “yet another taxpayer-funded money pit”.</p> <span class="">Advertisement</span><p></p> <p><strong>Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure, Peter Fox MS, said:</strong> “The Welsh Labour Government has delayed action on this issue for far too long. As a result, I fear the outcome risks becoming a disorganised and poorly executed mess.</p><p>“Franchising bus services across Wales does come with risks if not executed properly, stifling competition and becoming yet another taxpayer-funded money pit.</p><p>“The Welsh Government must ensure that support is focused on the most hard-to-reach areas, ensuring communities receive the assistance they truly need, an issue that successive Ministers have failed to grasp so far.”</p><p><strong>Aaron Hill, director of lobby group Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) Cymru, said:</strong> “Simply changing who’s in charge won’t guarantee success – passengers will only see better buses if commitments are backed by adequate funding, and by steps to speed up buses by taking them out of traffic congestion.”</p><p>If the bill is passed in the Senedd, franchising would start in 2027 in South West Wales.</p> <span class="">Advertisement</span><p></p> <p><strong>Bus operator, First Cymru</strong> say they would “fully embrace” franchising. </p><p><strong>Commercial director Rob Pymm said</strong>: “We work really closely with all the authorities in Wales.</p><p>“We have got a really good relationship and we are feeding our decades of experience into their planning of that.</p><p>“Hopefully at the end of it we will be running those services as well.”</p> <span class="">Advertisement</span><p></p> <p><span></span></p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://swanseabaynews.com/tag/bus/" target="_blank">#Bus</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://swanseabaynews.com/tag/bus-travel/" target="_blank">#busTravel</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://swanseabaynews.com/tag/first-cymru/" target="_blank">#FirstCymru</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://swanseabaynews.com/tag/franchising/" target="_blank">#franchising</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://swanseabaynews.com/tag/transport/" target="_blank">#Transport</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://swanseabaynews.com/tag/transport-for-wales/" target="_blank">#TransportForWales</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://swanseabaynews.com/tag/welsh-government/" target="_blank">#WelshGovernment</a></p>