Transport for Wales Board Meeting Minutes - 15 May 2025

15 May 2025

09:30 - 16:00

Scott Waddington (Chair), Alun Bowen, Heather Clash, Vernon Everitt, Vinay Parmar, Louise Cheesman, Rhian Langham, and James Price.

In attendance: Ian Lucas; Peter McDonald (Welsh Government); Sam Hadley; and Jeremy Morgan.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Andrew Morgan (WLGA); and Alan McCarthy (Unite).

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

None declared.

The minutes of the TfW Board meeting 17 April 2025 were approved as a true and accurate record.

The actions log was noted.

The Board considered a recent report around a member of the public escaping prosecution after trespassing on the track in South-East England, only to commit the same offence again.

A discussion took place on the drive towards digitisation, the limitations it places on some sections of society and the need to consider the complete range of customers.

Seamus Scallon and Josh Hopkins joined the meeting.

The Board noted the content of the safety performance report. The Board were updated on:

• The recent launch of the annual Health, Safety, Security and Business Resilience Plan outlining the strategic focus over the next year.
• The recent report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch on the Talerddig incident. The Board discussed and noted the content.
• Ongoing work to tackle assaults on the network, especially around anti-social behaviour and on-going activities around conflict avoidance, stakeholder management, building partnerships, tracking and publicising prosecutions. REDACTED.
• On-going work around managing Signals Passed at Danger (SPADs) including the introduction of a Joint Safety Improvement Plan with Network Rail, an increased focus on training, Competency Management System enhancement, and the introduction of a new internal SPAD Review Board for each incident.

Tier 1 risks are being discussed with ELT with details to be shared at the next meeting. REDACTED. The Board noted the inclusion of several new high-risk scoring project risks and mitigations including Cardiff Crossrail and Project Uno.

The Board noted the report.

Seamus Scallon and Josh Hopkins left the meeting.

The Board received an overview of the Chief Executive Officers Report:

• Work on cultural change around ongoing development of the T Network. The Board noted the cultural and decision-making implications that are currently being worked through, and the need to factor into the performance management system through the People Committee [Action Rhian Langham].
• An update on the Talerddig incident including a discussion on communications.
• Infrastructure disruptions which impacted operational performance across the network. Work is ongoing to learn lessons and assess how these incidents could have been avoided.
• Bus legislation continues its path through the Senedd. Clarity is still being sought on bus franchising REDACTED.
• Broad agreement has been reached with the Welsh Government on rail reform. The Board were updated on recent conversations with DfT.
• Progress has been made on the development of Network for North Wales programme. The Board will be provided with a detailed update at a future meeting.
• Discussions continue with CAF over liquidated damages and Chester depot.
• REDACTED
• Financial risks in the current year, particularly on CVL in the context of delivering significant works against a tight budget and the need to run additional North Wales services.

The Board were updated on action taken in response to recent cyber-attacks on retail organisations including the merits of implementing a zero-trust model and enhanced supply chain due diligence, as well as exercises on cyber-attack recovery.

Financial results in period were shared with the Board. Infrastructure disruption caused revenue loss. Initiatives are being implemented to recover the position. The Board were briefed on: management accounts and financial performance for April 2025; managing the funding gap for 2025/26; accounting officer assessment to inform the Welsh Government’s letter of comfort; and Pullman Rail Ltd. The Board noted that regular dialogue with Network Rail continues regarding Schedule 4 and Schedule 8 payments.

Zoe Smith-Doe joined the meeting

The Board were updated and noted the achievement of business plan milestones for 2024/25.

Corporate Key Performance Indicators were noted. The Board will receive the published version of the KPIs prior to publication which will also be reviewed by Lewis Brencher and Sam Hadley [Action Zoe Smith-Doe].

Zoe Smith-Doe left the meeting.

Ellen Filor joined the meeting

The Board were provided with an outline of the draft Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2024/25, with the guiding principles of the well-being goals; TfW’s new vision, mission, purpose and values; new rolling stock; and overall organisational and financial performance. The Board also requested a strong narrative on people and culture and the need to thank customers and the unions.

Ellen Filor left the meeting

Lee Robinson joined the meeting.

The Board discussed risks around the hydrogen bus programme.

REDACTED

Lee Robinson left the meeting.

The Board noted the outline content of the recent Pullman Rail Ltd board meeting and were updated on latest developments.

The recent TfW Rail Board discussed challenges around performance, undertook a deep dive on risk and safety and considered finance and commercials.

The recent Advisory Board reviews operational rail performance, bus franchising. The Board discussed the future role of the group and to carry out a review [Action Vinay Parmar and Lewis Brencher].

April’s Steering Board discussed the year-end financial position, waste management, TfW’s revised ELT structure, Network North, future revenue, RAIB’s report on the Talerddig incident and rail reform.

The Board were updated on recent meetings of the Major Projects Committee and Customer and Communications sub-committees. The Board noted proposals to reframe the Customer & Communications Committee with the aim of evolving from a committee focusing on one part of the customer system to a strategic integration forum bringing together insight, innovation, and commercial thinking with the customer journey as the anchor point.

Dan Tipper joined the meeting.

The Board were updated on key progress and milestones achieved including:

• A focus in 2025/26 on remaining energisation phases.
• Completion of the necessary Cl 756 testing on the Coryton/Caerphilly which remains on target for initial entry into service on these routes for early July 2025.
• Multiple possessions and blockades planned on the Rhymney line during 2025 to allow completion of the physical works delivery and progress made to date.
• Initial dynamic proving runs on Cl 398s.
• Ongoing reviews and lessons learnt from two recent operational incidents at Cardiff Intersection Bridge resulting from a defect; and a lineside fire on Network Rail’s Mainline Infrastructure affecting the OLE Power Supply point near Newport.

The Chair thanked all attendees for their contributions and closed the meeting.