What consideration has the Minister given to expanding the Welcome Ticket scheme to the Welsh public?
The Welcome Ticket was a condition of the £200m Bus Emergency Scheme and then the Bus Transition Fund, which was put in place to help support the post-pandemic recovery of the bus industry. This fund will end on 31 March 2024 and, as a result, the current Welcome Ticket scheme will also end on that date.
Our intention is to establish a new phase of the Welcome Ticket scheme in 2024 which is sustainable and fit-for-purpose, ensuring our resources can be focused on those most in need. The new scheme would be designed to prevent discrimination and the other unintended situations we have encountered with the current phase of the scheme.