The Bus Services (Wales) Bill risks over-centralisation of network control and posing a threat to SME operators under its approach to franchising, Senedd member Sam Rowlands told the Senedd Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee on 23 October.
Mr Rowlands is a Conservative member for North Wales and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance. He also aired worry that addressing congestion is absent from the bill in a session that considered a host of proposed amendments.
He believes that instead of giving SMEs a level playing field on franchise contract bidding, the procurement approach as laid down “risks tipping the balance in favour of large national operators.” Mr Rowlands says he has spoken to SMEs in Wales and told the committee that they are “worried [about] this legislation.”
Such a position is driven by a lack of knowledge of how the bill will affect them, he continues. “Many feel shut out of the process,” Mr Rowlands says, adding that SMEs should not have their futures “put at risk by rushed or unclear legislation.”
In a bid to mitigate what he claims are threats to SMEs, he proposed amendments to the bill. Mr Rowlands claims that those would protect services in rural areas and give SME operators “a fair shot” while bringing clarity to all involved. All were rejected.
The Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee previously raised multiple concerns with the bill as part of the scrutiny process. Earlier in 2025, a report criticised the proposed legislation for lacking key detail, although support for the general principles within it was advocated.
On 23 October, Delyth Jewell MS underlined Mr Rowlands’ call for action on congestion, saying that the bill “lacks a clear plan” to deal with it. She proposed an amendment to require the relevant minister to report on such measures. It was also rejected.
In response to Ms Jewell, Minister for Delivery and Counsel General Julie James MS told the Committee how investment in roads and other bus service infrastructure falls outside the bill, and that local authorities will retain infrastructure responsibilities.
Concerns around SME operators and bus franchising in Wales were furthered by Carolyn Thomas MS. Observing how they are already key to the bus network, she highlights how they deliver much home-to-school travel and the importance of both sources of work continuing side-by-side.
Home-to-school will not form part of franchising in Wales and will remain the responsibility of local authorities to procure. However, Ms James told the Committee that learner travel “can and will be considered as the Welsh bus network plan is developed,” an exercise she adds is already underway in south-west Wales.
Earlier this year, the Committee report highlighted a concern that home-to-school travel sitting outside the bill represents “a missed opportunity” to design an integrated public transport network in Wales.
Transcript of the full 23 October committee session available here.
