About you

Newport Transport Limited

 

Your opinion  

1.        Are the transport emissions reductions targets, policies and proposals (set out in Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales) achievable and sufficiently ambitious?

Partly

1.1   Please outline your reasons for your answer to question 1

The main caveat to success of this very challenging timescale is investment and public private partnership opportunities to make this happen.

Currently questions that require further detail in order to make this happen are;

 1. Infrastructure: is the current provision enough to cope with demand.

 2. Capital cost of vehicles, is the intention by government to produce a "Green Bus Fund" as with other parts of the UK to assist operators to purchase ULEB vehicles.

 3.0ngoing capital costs associated with battery replacement, has this been thought through as battery life is far less than the life expectation of a bus.

 4. Depot maintenance expertise both in terms of facilities and also engineer skill levels.

 5. What happen to diesel fleet that are still being depreciated both financially and in terms of moving these vehicles on

2.        Is the Welsh Government’s vision for the decarbonisation of transport sufficiently innovative, particularly in terms of advocating new technologies?

Partly

 

2.1   Please outline your reasons for your answer to question 2

 

Far more detail is required in order to answer this question with confidence.

What does a low carbon Wales actually look like what exactly is the ambition. From there a clear indication of how, when, and quantity of investment required will dictate wat is achievable.

 

3.        What action is required, and by whom, to achieve the targets, policies and objectives?

 

This is not about simply what government can or should do but this is for a proper and sustainable clearly laid out plan of public/private partnership to achieve this desirable outcome.

 

That said in order to start the process it is clearly better for government to start and drive this process with other main stakeholders in a partnership model.

 

Partnership will deliver sustainable results.

 

4. How should the new Wales Transport Strategy reflect the actions needed to decarbonise transport?

 

The understanding of how this can be achieved needs to be clearly laid out, costed and planned with a clear understanding of the challenges that need addressed such as we have noted in the answer to question 1 above

 

5. Do you have any other points you wish to raise within the scope of this inquiry?

 

It is clear that bus public transport should and can provide part of the solution to decarbonising Wales.

 

However this is only one part of a much bigger picture.

 

A clear and transparent plan to address congestion in and around our cities is a major part of decarbonising Wales, allowing vehicles into city centres in the increasing numbers that we see today is simply not sustainable and is a major factor in increasing emission levels.

 

Providing proper partnerships between local authorities, government and bus operators will produce results but only if congestion is resolved.

It will not matter what fuel powers the bus if the electric bus with zero emissions simply sits in the same congested traffic as other diesel vehicles.       

A clear plan needs to be created to ensure charging infrastructure is effective and supports in the right place with rapid charge capabilities.