Transport for Wales Board Meeting Minutes - 15 December 2022

15 December 2022

09:30 - 17:00

Venue - Llys Cadywn

 

Scott Waddington (Chair), Alun Bowen, Heather Clash, Nicola Kemmery, Vernon Everitt, Alison Noon-Jones and James Price.

In attendance: Jeremy Morgan; Leyton Powell (item 2); and Natalie Feely (items 1 to 3).

 

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

 

1a. Apologies for Absence

Sarah Howells.

 

1b. Notice of Quorum

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

 

1c. Declarations of Interest

None. 

 

1d. Minutes and Actions of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the TfW Board meeting 17 November 2022 were approved as a true and accurate record. The actions log was noted.

 

1e. Safety Moment

With the arrival of winter conditions there is a need to be clear on TfW’s areas of responsibility for gritting etc to prevent slips, trips and falls.

 

1f. Customer moment

There was a points failure at Cardiff Central this morning. Communication to affected customers could have been better.

 

2. Safety performance

Leyton Powell joined the meeting.

The Board were updated on two recent ORR inspections in relation to driver management and control room staff training. No major issues were identified.

REDACTED

The Board were briefed on two incidents at the Taff’s Well depot construction site, the immediate action taken in response, and the subsequent investigation process. 

Rail safety performance against targets remains consistently improving for the majority of KPI’s. The workforce fatality weighted index score across the period was 0.02, with a moving annual average of 0.04. This is lower than the predicted figure of 0.07. There was a decrease in non-workforce injuries over the period but figures remain slightly above those predicted. The main cause of non-workforce injuries are PTI and slips, trips and falls. Physical assaults have reduced from 27 in periods 04-06 to 16 in periods 07-08. There were no SPAD’s in period 08.

The Board were also updated on plans for the safe storage of lithium batteries for the new rail fleet, development of a joint suicide prevention plan with key industry partners, and the implementation of Operation Genesis.

Leyton Powell left the meeting.

 

3. Strategic update

3a. CEO report

The last month saw a focus on budgets and planning for next financial year, the introduction of new CAF units into passenger service, continued long term planning around future transport interventions, a continuing focus on delivering the CVL programme, and progress on reviewing active travel.

The Board were updated on several discussions with the Welsh Government which focused on bus, working together to deliver modal shift, responding to climate change, and the need to offer a series of delivery options.

The Board welcomed the conclusion of all pay discussions across the TfW group of companies which were closed out in the last month. The Board thanked all the teams for supporting the various aspects of seeing this through.

REDACTED

Progress on CVL transformation continues at a good pace, with senior management particularly focused on the Cardiff to Rhymney section and entry-into-service.

A review of active travel activities continues to ensure that the quality of schemes across Wales is being maximized, and to facilitate modal shift. The Board noted the key issues under review, including rolling schemes over year-ends and the speed of allocating opex to local authorities. A deep dive is due to take place in the near future.

 

3b. Finance and governance

The focus has been on approaching the end of the financial year and planning for 2023-24

REDACTED

The Board were informed that discussions were on-going around maintenance of the class 230s following Vivarail entering into administration. The Board noted that TfW are not owed anything by Vivarail but spares and equipment for the units are being actively sought.

The Board were updated on development of the 2023-24 business plan, measures to counter fare evasion, and progress with developing the Enhanced Control Environment.

The Board noted November 2022’s management accounts.

 

3c. Proposal to close PTI Cymru Holdings Ltd

The Board approved the following: 

• Transport for Wales entering into an Asset Transfer Agreement, legally accepting the future liabilities of PTI Cymru into the company and;
• notice being provided to Companies House that PTI Cymru has ceased trading.

Natalie Feeley left the meeting.

 

4. Budget

The Board were updated on development and discussions with Welsh Government around the 2023-24 budget.

 

5. CVL Transformation update

Tony Mercado, Dan Tipper and Jan Chaudhry Van der Velde joined the meeting.

REDACTED

Tony Mercado, Dan Tipper and Jan Chaudhry Van der Velde left the meeting.

 

6. CVL transformation six-month lookahead

The Board noted the lookahead and agreed that for future meetings, any items of significance are to be included in the infrastructure section of the CEO report.

 

7. Cardiff Central Enhancements project

Geoff Ogden, Amy Nicholls and Adam Day joined the meeting.

REDACTED

Amy Nicholls and Adam Day left the meeting.

 

8. Pay As You Go

Dave Williams and Helen Mitchell joined the meeting.

REDACTED

The Board were updated on programme timings and costs.

Dave Williams and Helen Mitchell joined the meeting.

 

9. Addressing climate change at TfW

Hayley Warrens and Leyton Powell joined the meeting.

The Board were updated on TfW’s strategic direction to addressing climate-related risks and recommendations for how TfW can further enhance its adaptive capacity and resilience. The Board were also updated on the suite of carbon reporting requirements which apply to TfW and agreed to: 

• delegate monitoring of climate risks and progress to the Health, Safety, Wellbeing and Sustainability SubCommittee, via the Climate Adaptation Steering Group; 
• support the implementation of the ISO 14090:2019 and BS 8631 standards to provide TfW with a robust framework for climate planning; enhancing decision making and adaptation cost management; 
• champion the work being undertaken to promote and prioritise the climate adaptation agenda; and
• approve continued application of the Welsh Government’s guidance to provide TfW with a comprehensive and robust framework for corporate carbon reporting.

Hayley Warrens left the meeting.

 

10. Risk register

The Board discussed and noted the strategic risk register.

Leyton Powell left the meeting.

REDACTED

Jan Chaudhry Van de Velde and Andy Quinton and Geoff Ogden left the meeting.

 

12. Update on sub-committees

The Board were updated on recent meetings of the Health, Safety and Wellbeing and Audit and Risk committees.

The Board agreed that mitigating action taken against risks identified in the strategic risk register should be covered in the CEO’s report from February. [Action James Price and Jeremy Morgan].

 

13. Rail Board

REDACTED

 

14. Steering Board

The recent meeting of the TfW Steering Board covered working with Welsh Government legal services, budgets and the Cardiff Interchange project.

 

The Chair brought meeting to an end and thanked everyone for their contributions.