Welsh Labour promises same-day mental health access and £2 bus fare cap ahead of Senedd election
Welsh Labour leader Eluned Morgan has launched the party’s Senedd election campaign with a pledge to make Wales the first country in the world to offer open-access, same-day mental health services.
Speaking in Newport, Morgan set out a series of election commitments covering health, education, transport and the cost of living, with just over two months until polling day.
The mental health pledge would build on the existing 111 press 2 service.
Under the plan, all health boards in Wales, including Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board which covers Flintshire, would be required to test a new open-access model through demonstrator sites.
Welsh Labour says the model would allow people to get same-day mental health support without needing a GP referral or a long wait for assessment.
The party described it as a move from the current system to one where people can get help when they need it.
In her speech, Morgan said: “Fairness today cannot mean permanent patience. It cannot mean ‘bear with us’. It cannot mean ‘it’s complicated.’ It cannot mean ‘come back in five years.'”
She added: “We will focus on the things that make the biggest difference to daily life, and we will deliver them with the seriousness that government demands.”
Morgan also directed remarks at rival parties, saying: “You cannot fix waiting times with a hashtag. You cannot grow wages on TikTok. You cannot build a hospital with a committee. You need a plan. You need priorities. You need delivery.”
The campaign launch included several other pledges.
A £2 bus fare cap would be introduced alongside the existing £1 fare for under-21s and free bus passes for over-60s, with an additional 100 new bus routes promised.
School support staff, including teaching assistants, cooks, cleaners and caretakers, would receive year-round pay through a new School Support Staff Negotiating Body established in law.
A Clean Water Bill would create a new standalone water regulator focused on economic regulation.
Health boards would be required to develop transport plans covering public transport, car parking and active travel to improve access to hospitals.
A lifelong retraining guarantee would give workers access to retraining to stay in work or return to employment.
Fines for flytipping would be increased.
The party also set out a vision for energy independence, with a focus on renewable energy, lower bills and community benefit from energy projects.
The pledges are campaign commitments and would require a Welsh Labour majority in the Senedd after the election to be taken forward.
The Senedd election takes place on 7 May 2026.
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