Will the Minister outline the nature of the delay to the publication of the learner transport review and will the Minister indicate when the review will be published?
The initial review undertaken into the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure, which concluded earlier this year (2021), was not published due to the pre-election period leading to the Senedd 2021 elections that took place in May 2021.
From discussions and engagement with stakeholders, as a part of the initial review, it became apparent that the transport needs of learners are complex, as are the networks, tools and resources required to deliver effective services for home to school transport. The review found that there are not only further issues with the current Measure that need to be addressed, but also wider issues to consider that extend beyond the scope of the legislation. The work required could not have been undertaken in the time that remained in the previous administration.
Officials will consider how best to progress the further work required to review learner travel in Wales.