Ann Jones: Thank you for your comments. I wanted to emphasise the point on the friendly nature of the name ‘Von Ieuan Express’ and improved services. Could you address the issue regarding freight that I mentioned? I am happy to accept that we need to go forward, but I would like to know a little more about that issue.
Ann Jones: Diolch am eich sylwadau. Yr oeddwn am bwysleisio’r pwynt am natur gyfeillgar yr enw ‘Von Ieuan Express’ a gwasanaethau gwell. A allech roi sylw i’r mater a godais am gludo nwyddau? Yr wyf yn fodlon derbyn bod angen inni symud ymlaen, ond hoffwn wybod ychydig mwy am y mater hwnnw.
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The Deputy First Minister: I have not dealt with freight particularly; I understand that, and there are constraints on my time. I will write to Ann on that, if she would not mind, and then we can take that forward. If I have not covered other points that have been raised in the debate—I made a careful note of each—I will write to Members about specific schemes that you have brought to my attention. I know that you are concerned about other stations and so on.
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Y Dirprwy Brif Weinidog: Nid wyf wedi ymdrin yn benodol â chludo nwyddau; deallaf hynny, ac mae cyfyngiadau ar fy amser. Ysgrifennaf at Ann ynghylch hynny, os nad oes gwahaniaeth ganddi, ac yna gallwn symud hynny yn ei flaen. Os nad wyf wedi ymdrin â phwyntiau eraill a godwyd yn y ddadl—gwneuthum nodyn gofalus o bob un—ysgrifennaf at yr Aelodau i sôn am gynlluniau penodol yr ydych wedi tynnu fy sylw atynt. Gwn eich bod yn pryderu am orsafoedd eraill, ac yn y blaen.
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4.20 p.m.
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I welcome this debate. I understand that there are criticisms that we have not been able to accept more of the committee’s recommendations, but if we could agree that there is genuine goodwill in the Chamber to improve rail services in Wales, I am happy to work with the committee to realise that ambition over time.
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Yr wyf yn croesawu’r ddadl hon. Deallaf fod rhai’n beirniadu’r ffaith nad ydym wedi gallu derbyn mwy o argymhellion y pwyllgor, ond pe gallem gytuno bod ewyllys da gwirioneddol yn y Siambr i wella gwasanaethau rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru, byddwn yn fodlon gweithio gyda’r pwyllgor i wireddu’r uchelgais hwnnw dros amser.
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Gareth Jones: Fel y dywedasoch ar y cychwyn, Lywydd, mae’n amlwg bod diddordeb garw yn y testun hwn. Yn y lle cyntaf, diolchaf am y geiriau caredig a ddaeth i’m rhan fel Cadeirydd. Fodd bynnag, nid yw’r Cadeirydd ond cystal â’r cymorth a’r gefnogaeth a gaiff gan y tîm clercio. Hoffwn dalu teyrnged i’r tîm hwnnw am y gwaith da a chyson mae’n ei wneud ar hyd yr amser. Diolchaf hefyd i bawb a roddodd dystiolaeth inni ac a gynorthwyodd y pwyllgor yn hynny o beth. Diolchaf hefyd i fy nghyd-Aelodau ar y pwyllgor am eu heffeithiolrwydd wrth fynd ati i graffu ar y testun hollbwysig hwn.
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Gareth Jones: As you said at the outset, Presiding Officer, it is clear that there is much interest in this issue. Firstly, I am grateful for the kind words about my chairmanship. However, the Chair is only as good as the help and support which he receives from the clerking team. I pay tribute to that team for the quality of the work it does at all times. I also thank all those who gave evidence and who assisted the committee in that way. I also thank my fellow Members on the committee for the effective way in which they set about scrutinising this vital issue.
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Fel y mae’r Dirprwy Brif Weinidog eisoes wedi ei ddweud, mae llawer o Aelodau—yr wyf yn deall pam—wedi datgan diddordeb ac wedi cyfrannu, ac yr wyf yn dra diolchgar i bob un ohonoch am eich cyfraniad y prynhawn yma. Mae cyfraniadau penodol wedi bod at bethau yn eich etholaethau ac mae’n dda iawn eich bod wedi gwneud y rheini, ond ni allaf, yn yr amser sydd gennyf, ymateb i bob un ohonynt.
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As the Deputy First Minister has said, many Members—I understand why—have expressed an interest and have contributed, and I am very grateful to every one of you for your contributions this afternoon. Specific mention has been made of constituency issues, which is a good thing, but I cannot, in the time I have, respond to every one of them.
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Hoffwn gyfeirio at yr hyn a ddywedodd Dr Brian Gibbons. Efallai nad rôl y pwyllgor oedd cydnabod y gwaith da a wneir, ond mae’n deg ein bod yn ei gydnabod, yn ogystal â’r cynnydd sy’n digwydd o ran rheilffyrdd Cymru. Fodd bynnag, edrych i’r dyfodol yw holl bwrpas yr adroddiad hwn a sut y gallwn adeiladu ar yr hyn sydd gennym, beth bynnag yw cryfderau a gwendidau system y gyfundrefn reilffyrdd ar hyn o bryd. Tarodd Dr Gibbons ar un pwynt a oedd yn ein gorfodi i ystyried y dyfodol, sef y twf aruthrol a fu yn y defnydd o’n rheilffyrdd. Bu i aelodau’r pwyllgor ragweld yn syth y bydd cynnydd pellach yn y defnydd hwnnw ac mor bwysig yw creu’r ddarpariaeth gywir ar ei gyfer o ran ein strwythur rheilffyrdd.
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I should like to refer to what Dr Brian Gibbons said. It might not have been the committee’s role to recognise the good work being done, but it is fair that we recognise it, as well as the progress being made Welsh railways. However, the purpose of this report is to look forward to how we can build on what we have, whatever the strengths and weaknesses of the current railway system. Dr Gibbons mentioned one point which compelled us to consider the future, namely the huge increase we have seen in the use made of our railways. Committee members foresaw from the beginning that there would be further increases, and it is vital that the right railway structure provision be made for that.
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Yr wyf yn cydnabod fod cyfeiriadau wedi bod at etholaethau unigol. Dof yn ôl at hynny’n gyffredinol, gan fy mod yn teimlo fod y ddadl a gawsom yn un dda—mae wedi bod yn ddadlennol ac yn adeiladol. Yr wyf yn rhoi ystyriaeth i’r hyn a ddywedodd y Dirprwy Brif Weinidog yn ei ymateb, sef ei fod yn rhannu’r dyheadau hyn a’r golwg i’r dyfodol. Mae consensws yn hynny o beth. Teimlaf fod rhwystredigaeth ar hyn o bryd, ond yr wyf hefyd yn deall natur y rhwystredigaeth honno gan fod rhai pethau y gall Llywodraeth Cymru eu cyflawni a phethau eraill na all eu cyflawni. Fodd bynnag, nid yw hynny’n help inni pan ydym am symud pethau ymlaen yn llwyddiannus yng Nghymru.
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I recognise that references have been made to individual constituencies. I shall come back to that in a general sense, since I feel we have had a good debate—it has been enlightening and constructive. I am taking what the Deputy First Minister said in his response into consideration, namely that he shares these ambitions and an eye on the future. There is consensus in that respect. I feel there is frustration at the moment, but I also understand the nature of that frustration, since there are some things which the Welsh Government is able to achieve and others which it cannot achieve. However, that does not help us when we wish to move things forward successfully in Wales.
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Mae’r ddadl y prynhawn yma wedi canolbwyntio ar bethau cyffredinol a phwysig. Bu i David Melding ein hatgoffa’n glir fod yr adroddiad hwn yn seiliedig ar frwdfrydedd a diddordeb y cyhoedd a phawb a wnelo â chludiant ar y rheilffyrdd ac ar dystiolaeth. Efallai fod bylchau yn y dystiolaeth—yr wyf yn cydnabod hynny oherwydd, fel y gwyddoch, mae’n anodd gwahodd pawb gerbron y pwyllgor—ond mae’n dystiolaeth uniongyrchol ac yn sail i’r argymhellion.
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This afternoon’s debate has focused on general and important points. David Melding clearly reminded us that this report is based on the enthusiasm and interest of the public and all those involved with rail transport and on evidence. There may be gaps in the evidence—I accept that, because, as you know, it is difficult to invite everyone to appear before the committee—but it is direct evidence and it forms the basis of the recommendations.
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Yr ydym wedi cyffwrdd â nifer o bwyntiau pwysig, fel datganoli ac edrych ar y model sydd gan yr Alban. Yr ydym wedi rhoi ystyriaeth fanwl i’r allwedd i’r dyfodol, sef trydaneiddio, a pha mor bwysig y bydd hynny i ddyfodol economi Cymru.
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We have touched upon a number of important points, such as devolution and looking at the Scottish model. We have given careful consideration to the key for the future—electrification—and its importance to the future of the Welsh economy.
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Mae sawl Aelod hefyd wedi cyfeirio at un o’r pethau pwysicaf, sef hygyrchedd ein rheilffyrdd ac ansawdd ein gorsafoedd, a’r gofyn, efallai, am ddatblygiadau o’r newydd, fel y clywsom gan Darren Millar, a gyfeiriodd at Fae Cinmel, ac Ann Jones, a siaradodd am Gei Connah.
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A number of Members have also referred to one of the most important points, namely the accessibility of our railways and the state of our stations, alongside the need, perhaps, for new developments, as we heard from Darren Millar, who referred to Kinmel Bay, and Ann Jones, who talked about Connah’s Quay.
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Cyfeiriwyd hefyd at swyddogaeth Network Rail a’r berthynas gydag ef. Treuliwyd amser yn trafod hynny yn y pwyllgor. Pwysleisiwyd hefyd sefyllfa etholaethau unigol, y gwahanol orsafoedd a’r system reilffyrdd. Mae hynny yn ein harwain at swyddogaeth Taith, a’r consortia eraill sydd gennym drwy Gymru. Mae’r consortia cludiant yn hollbwysig—yn allweddol, i ddweud y gwir—i unrhyw gynlluniau ar gyfer y dyfodol.
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Mention was also made of the Network Rail function and the relationship with it. Time was spent discussing that in committee. The situation in individual constituencies was also emphasised, in relation to stations and the railway system. That leads us to the functions of Taith and the other consortia across Wales. Transport consortia play a vital role—they are key, to be honest—in any plans for the future.
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Un peth yr wyf wedi’i gasglu o’r dystiolaeth ac o’r hyn yr ydym wedi’i drafod y prynhawn yma—cyfeiriodd Nerys Evans at y pwynt hwn—yw cymhlethdod y sefyllfa oherwydd nifer yr asiantaethau a phawb sy’n ymwneud â datblygu rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru. Mae angen llawer mwy o gyd-drefniant o ran y gwahanol gyrff sy’n sicrhau bod rhwydwaith effeithiol o reilffyrdd yng Nghymru. Mae unrhyw Weinidog—ac nid wyf yn ceisio amddiffyn y Gweinidog hwn—yn gorfod ymwneud â’r adran yn Llundain, Network Rail a’r consortia yng Nghymru, heb sôn am wahanol etholaethau, cyrff eraill a phobl sydd yn ymwneud â’r fasnachfraint, fel yn achos Trenau Arriva Cymru.
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One thing that I have gleaned from the evidence and from this afternoon’s debate—Nerys Evans referred to this—is the complexity of the situation given the number of agencies and others involved in railway development in Wales. Much more collaboration is required of the different organisations responsible for ensuring an effective railway system in Wales. Any Minister—and I am not trying to defend this Minister—would have to deal with the department in London, Network Rail and the Welsh consortia, apart from various constituencies, other bodies and people involved with the franchise, as in the case of Arriva Trains Wales.
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Mae hyn yn gymhleth yng Nghymru, oherwydd bod angen i bawb ddod at ei gilydd a chytuno ar raglen. Gobeithiaf—yr wyf yn cymryd y Dirprwy Brif Weinidog ar ei air—eich bod o ddifrif am weld hyn yn datblygu yn effeithiol i’r dyfodol. Fodd bynnag, pa bynnag Lywodraeth fydd yma ar ôl Mai 2011, mae’n hollbwysig bod yr adroddiad hwn yn parhau i fwydo unrhyw fath o raglen datblygu rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru.
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This is complex in Wales, because they all have to come together to agree a programme. I hope—and I take the Deputy First Minister at his word—that you are serious about seeing this develop effectively for the future. However, whatever Government is in place after May 2011, it is vital that this report should continue to feed into any rail development programme in Wales.
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Diolch i bawb sydd wedi cyfrannu a diolch am eich amser.
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I thank everyone who has contributed and I thank you for your time.
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Y Llywydd: Diolch yn fawr iawn i’r Cadeirydd. Y cwestiwn yw ein bod yn cytuno nodi’r adroddiad. A oes gwrthwynebiad? Gwelaf nad oes. Felly, yr ydym wedi nodi a phasio’r cynnig.
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The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Chair. The question is that we note the report. Is there any opposition? I see that there is not. Therefore, we have noted and agreed the motion.
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Derbyniwyd y cynnig.
Motion agreed.
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