Commissioner welcomes Scrutiny of the Bus Services (Wales) Bill
Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Rhian Bowen-Davies, said:
“Access to public transport, particularly bus services, is often vital to enable older people to remain independent and do the things that matter to them.
“So it’s important that the Bus Services (Wales) Bill delivers the changes needed to improve availability, frequency, reliability and accessibility, and provide passengers of all ages with meaningful opportunities to shape the services in their communities.
“I therefore welcome the scrutiny report from the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee, which includes recommendations setting out how the Bill could be improved based on a wide range of evidence, including from myself.
“I’m pleased to see calls for the Bill to be amended to create a specific requirement for consultation with under-represented groups – including older people – to develop the Welsh Bus Network Plan as it is crucial that older people’s voices are heard as key users of bus services.
“I also welcome the recommendations within the report focused on ensuring that all information about public transport, as well as performance data, is made available in accessible formats, including non-digital formats. Digital exclusion remains a key issue for many older people, so it is important that those who are not online are able to access the information they need.
“I hope amendments are made to the Bill which reflect the changes the Committee is calling for, and I look forward to undertaking further scrutiny of its contents. I will be closely following the debate on the Committee’s report and recommendations when the Senedd returns from the summer recess.”
