WALES STATE RAILWAYS

DSB has been an independent public corporation since 1 January 1999. DSB is wholly owned by the Danish Ministry of Transport. DSB carries some 157 million passengers every year and operates approx. 80 per cent of passenger train services in Denmark. DSB will enter into a new ten-year contract with the Ministry of Transport, and the contract will become effective as from 1 January 2005. DSB's monopoly on nation-wide passenger services formally came to an end on 1 January 2000. Today, Danish legislation distinguishes between two types of passenger services carried out as public service transport: 'negotiated' services and 'tendered' services. In addition, passenger services can be operated as 'free' services. The Minister of Transport has the authority to invite tenders for contracts for public service transport. In December 2000, 15 per cent of DSB's train services outside the S-train network were put up for tender. And in December 2001 The Ministry of Transport announced that a new rail operator had won the tender for a number of railway lines in central and western Jutland.

A Measure can be passed at the Senedd to create an independent public corporation 100% owned by the Enterprise, Innovation and Networks Department of the Welsh Government. To operate the trains in Wales to satisfy the needs of Wales alone. Rather than pay subsidies to a privately owned company.

Remember, Arriva Trains Wales received a total cash subsidy of £46.4 million for the period from franchise commencement on 8 December 2003 to 31 March 2004. It received a total cash subsidy of £97.8 million for the period 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005.