Bus services across this region are a mess. And unless there is a sudden road to Damascus awakening by the Welsh Government, the reality is that they are destined to decline even further.

What makes this decline all the more unacceptable is that this same Welsh Government has decided that our roads are good enough as they are, and all but the most essential road development projects have been abandoned in the cause of securing a green future.

That greener future, however, does not include bus services.

Nor does it include decent train services — never mind improved north-south train links that would link our region with Carmarthen and onto Cardiff.

Even if the bus services were up to snuff, those frustrated drivers would still have to complete their routes in the patchwork of new 20mph zones.

If the quarter of a billion pounds spent on bringing in 20mph was actually put to providing much-improved public transport links, the entire nation would be far closer to meeting those climate change targets — and with fewer cars on our roads.

But long-term thinking isn’t on the agenda of the Welsh Government. Nor is creative problem solving. Instead we live with the results of knee-jerk responses from a Labour government which acts with the approval of Plaid Cymru.

So what creative solutions would help? The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on the Welsh Government to provide free bus travel to young people in Wales.

During the 2021 Senedd elections, one of the main flagship policies included in the party’s manifesto was a promise to provide free bus travel to under-25’s in Wales by 2025.

The party are now calling for free unconditional bus travel for all under-25s to be included alongside the Bus Services (Wales) Bill.

That’s one measure that would help. And it would cutdown on carbon emissions by getting more people to use public transport too. Right now, those over 60 have free travel.

But why not take a leaf out of the measures in use in England right now. There, bus fares are capped at £2 per trip for most passengers.

Sadly though, whether it’s £2 trips or free travel for the under-25s, there have to be buses running in the first instance.

And the Senedd is to blame for that now.