Transport for Wales Board Meeting Minutes - 18 May 2023

18 May 2023

09:30 - 16:00

Venue - Llys Cadwyn

 

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

In attendance: Jeremy Morgan, Gareth Evans (Welsh Government) and Leyton Powell (item 2).

 

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

 

1a. Apologies for Absence

None. There was no observer from the Trade Unions present.

 

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 20 April 2023 were approved as a true and accurate record.

 

1e. Safety Moment

The Board were reminded that it has been 22 years since the Potters Bar incident but corporate memories can be short and the lessons are still pertinent.

 

1f. Customer moment

The Board were informed of a recent poor experience on TfW service from Manchester to Cardiff. The Board discussed the current problems on the Marches line and agreed to discuss in more detail later in the meeting.

 

2. Safety performance

Work has begun to understand the potential risks and operational safety requirements needed to support the Bus Franchising programme. Similarities with the areas covered in the rail safety management system have been identified including driver fatigue, competency management, route knowledge and assurance.

The Board were notified of an RSSB draft report detailing findings of a deep dive into customer accidents. The report noted that TfW has a positive reporting culture over other TOCs, incident types and frequencies mirror the industry by type, TfW has higher numbers of reported incidents than compared ToCs, and reports more severe (sent to hospital) incidents than similar ToCs. The report’s findings and recommendations are under review.

There was one SPaD recorded in the period with appropriate action taken in response.

225 safety inspections were undertaken across the network during the period, with 16 flagged items. Average compliance was 99.5%.

The Board were updated on planned ORR visits and inspections, incidents of theft and damage on the CVL, CVL transformation, infrastructure management, and Pullman Rail Ltd safety performance.

Leyton Powell left the meeting.

 

3. Strategic update

3a. CEO report

CVL transformation, introducing new rolling stock and running a daily rail service including a complete closure of the TAM has presented some significant challenges across the organisation. However, lessons are being learned and the focus remains on providing a safe service and supporting customers.

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Jan Chaudhry Van der Velde joined the meeting. The Board discussed in detail on-going performance issues on the Marches line. The Board were informed that many of the problems stem from Class 175 performance issues which can result in cancelled trains, along with maintenance and storage issues at Chester, and a lack of drivers for Sunday services. The Board inquired as to the requirements to reach a position of acceptable reliability and by when. The Board were informed that acceptable reliability is dependent on rolling stock availability and reliability, sufficient train crew numbers and a more reliable network, especially on the line approaching Crewe where some of the supporting technology is out-of-date.

The Board noted and welcomed the overall improving rail performance across the network and noted that the number of pre-cancellations is returning to normal. 

Jan Chaudhry Van der Velde left the meeting.

The Board discussed recent challenges around the significant number of rail replacement services on the TAM side of the CVL as TAM A commissioning is undertaken and some of the difficulties in obtaining precise performance information. The Board were informed of poor customer sentiment in the few weeks of the operation, but that mitigations were under development and performance had improved of late. Lessons are being learned which may also apply to bus franchising.

Discussions with the Welsh Government continue on bus, with a recent focus on revenue risk and policy trade-offs.

Work continues to clarify and codify TfW’s role.

The Board were also updated on progress with the CVL transformation programme, Cardiff Central projects, and working with local government. The Board agreed that the Major Projects Committee should closely scrutinise the Cardiff Central projects including the two items TfW is not controlling.

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3b. Finance and governance

The Board were updated on key finance and governance matters including end of financial year (2022/23) close, KPIs, budget and business plan for 2023/24 and progress with the implementation of the internal control environment.

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The Board were informed the Welsh Government require a draft budget for 2024/25 from TfW by the end of July.

Planning has commenced and although there will be several uncertainties at such an early stage, it will assist the Welsh Government with its internal budget reviews which commence in August.

The Board noted that the Capacity for Coaches framework had not progressed and it was agreed that James Price would raise with the Welsh Government [Action James Price].

The Board noted the finance review and noted the TfW management accounts for April 2023, TfW Rail Ltd accounts for rail period 1 2023/24 and TfW’s final budget for 2023/24.

 

4. Subsidiary Boards

The recent meeting of the TfW Rail Ltd Board considered day-to-day services, the OLE safety campaign, finance and commercial review, lessons learned from MKIV introduction, DRI, and KPIs.

 

5. Steering Board

The last TfW Steering Board covered TfW’s funding position, cost pressures, industrial relations, finances, and Welsh Government representation on TfW’s Board.

 

6. Advisory panel

The Board were updated on the meeting of the recent meeting of the TfW Advisory Panel. The panel focussed on recent fleet challenges on the 175 and the May timetable changes, the ‘No Second Chances’ OLE safety campaign,TAM rail replacement arrangements, and TfW’s ongoing behavioural change work.

 

Geoff Ogden joined the meeting

 

7. Corporate KPIs

Zoe Smith-Doe joined the meeting. 

The Board were briefed on a suggested set of corporate KPIs based largely on discussions with the Executive and their teams and based on TfW’s agreed corporate priorities. The Board agreed that the prime audience is the TfW Board and Executive to drive performance, with indicators also shared with the Welsh Government and Ministers.

The Board stressed the importance of ensuring the KPIs are focussed on areas that TfW can control. The Board noted the update and will be presented with a refined proposal at a later meeting. 

Zoe Smith-Doe left the meeting.

 

8. Active Travel

Matthew Gilbert joined the meeting. The Board were updated on planned key active travel activities. The Board asked what success would look like and were informed that the key measures of success include achievement of milestones, modal shift and behavoural change.

 

9. JV Board

The Board approved the appointment of Richard Marwood as a Director of TfW Innovation Services Ltd to replace David O’Leary.

Geoff Ogden left the meeting

 

10. CVL transformation

The Board were provided with an update on progress with the CVL transformation programme. The Board were updated on project trajectory, costs, TAM A commissioning, transfer of various operations to the Taffs Well integrated control centre, mobilisation of EMVs including driver training, and energisation events.

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11. Risk register

Leyton Powell joined the meeting

Revised risk appetite statements agreed in the beginning of the year have been added to the Active Risk Manager system and communicated to risk owners to record the risk appetite for all risks by the end of June.

The Board were informed that Network Rail has requested developing appropriate potential shared risks. A series of risk identification workshops are planned and engagement with TfW risk owners us underway to understand benefits and opportunities.

 

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