TfW Rail Limited Board Minutes - 5 December 2023

5 December 2023

09:00 - 14:30

Venue: St Patricks House, Cardiff and online

James Price (Chair), Heather Clash, Jan Chaudhry Van der Velde, Marie Daly, Alexia Course and Peter Strachan.

Julian Edwards (Associate NED) and Jeremy Morgan (Sec).

None.

A quorum being present, the Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and declared it open.

There were no declarations of interest.

As the Autumn season comes to an end, adhesion related delay minutes have increased by 11,000 from last year to around 19,000 this year. TINS have also more than doubled. The key drivers are seasonal weather conditions including several storms along with issues with Network Rail’s management of seasonal rail head treatment. The Board agreed that being beholden to Network Rail for rail head treatment should be investigated and should be raised with both Dan Tipper and Network Rail [Action Jan Chaudhry van der Velde]. It was agreed that Nick Millington should be invited to attend a future Board meeting [Action Jan Chaudhry van der Velde].

The Board discussed real time customer information, how maximise the use of data on a daily basis and the potential to link to customer complaints. Good practice is being looked at across the industry and beyond.

Board approved the minutes of the meeting held 10 November 2023 as a true record. The actions log was noted and updated.

Board received and noted an overview of the COO's report. The overview focussed on:

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• The lack of a wheel-lathe in Holyhead. The Board were informed that the original programme was for delivery in Autumn 2024 but issues with contractors and programme management have caused a three-month delay. The Board were informed that Dan Tipper is now taking additional direct control of the programme which currently on hold but scheduled to restart in January 2024. REDACTED.
• The allocation of drivers and diagrams to maximise use of, and speed up the coming into service of the Class 756s.
• Train capacity with respect to the upcoming timetable changes. The Board were reminded that there is a public commitment that a customer will not be more than 20 minutes from a toilet and requested an interim position update [Action Jan Chaudhry van der Velde].
• The latest figures on the planned capacity for the Rhymney line need to be reviewed [Action Jan Chaudhry van der Velde].
• Fleet reliability programmes. Ryan Williams will be asked to present at a future meeting [Action Jan Chaudhry van der Velde].
• An appointment had been made for the role of Operations Director. The appointee will start in May 2024. The Board welcomed the appointment.

Stephanie Raymond joined the meeting.

The Board were updated on recent discussions with the Welsh Government on the draft 2025-2029 Medium-Term Financial Plan including key assumptions underpinning the plan and variances from previous versions. The Board were reminded of the significant financial constraints for future years.

The Board requested additional work to review the possibility for further economies of scale, to ensure passenger growth is built in to the modelling, to include a table with the original bid numbers, and to strip out inflation [Action Stephanie Raymond].

The Board noted the financial review, which emphasised the current operating and capital subsidy position and year end outturn position.

Board noted the report.

Board noted the report.

Board received and noted an overview of the risk dashboard.

Lewis Brencher joined the meeting.

Board noted a marketing update which included:

• Performance against start of year targets.
• Good practice through agencies at other transport providers.
• Reprioritised marketing spend for North Wales programmes. The Board reviewed and welcomed an ‘on demand’ advert.
• The need to call out where other ticket providers are charging a booking fee and promotion of the TfW app that does not charge a booking fee.

Chris Williams joined the meeting

Board noted and received a commercial update overview which included:

• The Board does not want to be overly bespoke on forecasting and needs to challenge the commercial model and have it validated. There is a need for forecast ‘post-mortems’ i.e. what was thought would happen against what actually happened [Action Alexia Course], as well as using the same model to ‘back-cast’.
• The latest revenue forecast was noted. It was agreed that the five-year forecast should be scrutinised and linked with the budget [Action Alexia Course].
• The current Fares Strategy. The Board discussed regulated fares being less prominent, the current and future commercial challenges.
• The need for a standing item on the agenda regarding the Marches line to which Piers Croft will be invited [Action Jan Chaudhry van der Velde].

Chris Williams and Lewis Brencher left the meeting.

Rob Hale joined the meeting.

The Board noted the draft strategy and welcomed the timing of the paper. It was agreed that discussions with the Welsh Government are key to the direction taken and that the strategy should be socialised with them [Action Alexia Course].

The Board noted that several key decisions are required in the short-term such as the use of locomotives for MKIVs, Wrexham to Bidston; Class 231 hybrid conversion, and Class 197s.

It was agreed that possible options for meeting carbon targets should be tabled with the Deputy Minister.

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There being no other business, the Chair thanked everyone for their contributions and closed the meeting.