New Minister offers no new hope on bus station

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 19th Sep 2007

Artist impression of Swansea's new bus station

Swansea based Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, Peter Black, has expressed his disappointment at the lack of a fresh approach by the Labour-Plaid government in funding a new bus station in Swansea following him raising the issue in the Assembly Plenary today.

Swansea Council has been attempting to secure government funding to replace the existing quadrant bus station which is in a dilapidated state. Previous Labour Transport Ministers had refused to fully fund the project expecting the Council to rely on additional private finance. Ieuan Wyn Jones, the Leader of Plaid Cymru has now taken over the post.

"At a question time today I sought to test whether Plaid Cymru's commitment to this project was any greater than that of Labour, however

I was disappointed that we are getting the same old tune," said Mr. Black. "As far as I am aware the Council is still awaiting a response from the Welsh Government to their request for additional grant to finish off the new bus station. It seems from the Minister's response that the reply will be in the negative."

"I am sure that the Council will be able to find the private finance to get the bus station completed, however the attitude of the Welsh Government does raise some doubts as to their support for it. In particular, If this new government has ruled out using the Private Finance Initiative to fund public projects, why are they insisting on the Council using this method to pay for our bus station?"