Transport for Wales Board Meeting Minutes - 21 March 2024

21 March 2024

10:00 - 17:00

Venue - Llys Cadwyn and Teams

 

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

In attendance: Peter MacDonald, Jeremy Morgan, Leyton Powell (items 2 and 3), Jan Chaudhry Van der Velde (item 5.1), Marie Daly (item 5.2), Geoff Ogden (item 5.3), James Gough (item 5.4), Zoe Smith-Doe (item 5.5), Dan Tipper (item 5.6) and Alexia Course (item 5.7).

 

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

 

1a. Apologies for Absence

Alan McCarthy (Unite) gave apologies.

 

1b. Notice of Quorum

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

 

1c. Declarations of Interest

None.

 

1d. Minutes and Actions of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the TfW Board meeting 15 February 2024 were approved as a true and accurate record. The Actions Log was noted.

 

1e. Safety Moment

The Board discussed the merits of proper walkways in car parks which are based on natural behavioural safety in design.

 

1f. Customer moment

The Board received positive feedback on crowd management arrangements for last Saturday’s Six Nations rugby match in Cardiff.

 

2. Health, Safety and Resilience

Leyton Powell joined the meeting.

The Board received and noted an overview of the Health, Safety and Resilience report contained in the pack.

The highlights included:

• The development of a consolidated approach to create a ‘One TfW’ Annual Health, Safety, Security and Business Resilience Plan.
• Development of a customer accident prevention plan.
• A TfW-facilitated workshop that included a third-party assurance body and the ORR which focussed on Class 398 entry into service.
• Presentation of a draft Bus Franchising Health, Safety and Security approach to the recent Health, Safety, Sustainability and Wellbeing sub-committee meeting. The draft plan will underpin a strategic approach to health, wellbeing, security and business continuity.
• An increase in workforce incidents of 35, which was above the predicted figure of 21.5. There was one RIDDOR event.
• A revised Rail Emergency Management handbook has been drafted following collaboration with the Emergency Planning college. Work has commenced on an Integrated Emergency Management Framework which will be the overarching document for TfW’s multimodal operations.
• A working group has been launched with BTP to deliver the Integrated Policing and Security project on CVL.
• Attendance at a targeting sex offenders' workshop and the safe spaces for Women and Girls conference with a view to incorporate learnings and tactics into the safeguarding workstream.

The Board discussed causes of sickness absence with a particular focus on a general trend across the UK of younger workers being absent from work through mental health issues. It was agreed to review TfW’s current occupational health provision and to make an initial consideration into the merits of an in-house service [Action Leyton Powell].

 

3. Risk register

The Board noted the Strategic Risk Register and Threat Level Report for March 2024. Two new risks have been added, with two de-escalated and one moved to the TfW Rail risk register.

TfW’s Risk Management Strategy has been reviewed and updated to identify the organisation’s risk priorities for 2024/25. The Strategy will be tabled at March’s Audit and Risk Committee for consideration and approval.

Leyton Powell left the meeting.

 

4. Strategic / Development Update 

4.1 - CEO Report

The Board received an overview of the Chief Executive Officer’s report. The overview included updates on:

• The significant amount of work closing out the financial year-end with the Welsh Government continues.
• Rail operational performance has continued to improve but the lack of new CAF units and reliability issues on the locomotives that power the Mk4 units is continuing to affect the ability to move at a faster rate of improvement. New CAF Class 197 units are currently being received at an average of one every 
  13 days, with 19 months remaining in the programme, which is slower progress than had been hoped. Pressure is being exerted to increase the speed of output. The Board were updated on fleet availability and entry into service of new units. REDACTED.
• Work continues around the development of the multimodal agenda with more parts of the business beginning to own it, generate ideas and generally engage with the concept. The Board noted that the ‘Tnetwork’ branding concept was recently presented to the Deputy Minister and was well-received.
• REDACTED. Good progress has been made on entry into service. The immediate focus will be on readying for further work on the Cardiff to Rhymney line including significant work on Queen Street Station track and signal remodelling, whilst at the same time completing the entry into service of Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr lines and the uplift of services to a minimum of four trains per hour.
• Cardiff Bus Interchange has been delayed due to components being stuck in the international shipping backlog. While risks remain, the intention is still to have the interchange open and working for early June.
• Despite a temporary setback in supporting paperwork for the business case, in general, work on the Cardiff Central project is progressing well with a clearer, more understood and costed project that appears to be supported by all stakeholders.
• REDACTED
• The year-end position on the Active Travel Fund is looking positive.

The Board noted the CEO’s report and welcomed the reintroduction of the Treherbert line, progress of CVL and stronger rail performance.

 

4.2. Finance (Management Accounts)

The Board noted the management accounts for February 2024. REDACTED.

 

5. Operational Updates

5.1 MKIV update

Jan Chaudhry Van der Velde and Ryan Williams joined the meeting.

The Board were reminded on the background to the current MKIV fleet and current issues affecting recent performance. The Board were updated on locomotive ownership, contract incentivisation, timetabling and maintenance; customer feedback; and options for future operations.

The Board welcomed the update and recent improvements with a challenge for further improvements.

Jan Chaudhry Van der Velde and Ryan Williams left the meeting.

 

5.2 Customer Digital Strategy.

Marie Daly joined the meeting.

The Board were updated on progress with delivery of the Multimodal Digital Customer Strategy. The strategy sets out plans to embrace the opportunity to digitalise TfW’s transport system and provide a framework to allow movement to a more integrated customer-centric approach to digital mobility.

The Board noted the preferred supplier for the procurement of a Mobility-as-a-Service Technology Partner, noted the progress made to date and the proposed next steps.

Marie Daly left the meeting.

 

5.3 TfW Innovation Services

Geoff Ogden joined the meeting.

REDACTED

The Board noted the content of a presentation outlining a recent benefits realisation exercise.

Geoff Ogden left the meeting.

 

5.4 Bus OLR

James Gough joined the meeting.

The Board discussed the merits of setting up a bus operator of last resort.

James Gough left the meeting.

 

5.5 Corporate KPIs

Zoe Smith-Doe joined the meeting.

The Board noted an update on agreeing a suite of published corporate key performance indicators. It was noted that several of the proposed KPIs are already in the public domain. It was agreed to publish an annual set of indicators for 2023/24 and to release quarterly KPIs from Q4 2024/25.

Zoe Smith-Doe left the meeting.

 

5.6. CVL update

Dan Tipper joined the meeting.

The Board welcomed the Treherbert lines being opened on time. The Board were updated on progress with OLE, and entry into service, and key milestones over the next 12 months including Aberdare and City Line stations; timetable changes; further progress with entry into service; and Taffs Well depot becoming operational in late 
Spring / early summer 2024.

REDACTED

Dan Tipper left the meeting.

 

REDACTED

 

5.8 Board Sub-committees

The Board was update on recent meeting of the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee, the Customer Experience and Communications Committee, the Major Projects Committee and the TfW 2.0 Committee.

 

5.9 Subsidiary company boards

Updates were provided on recent meetings of the TfW Rail Ltd and Pullman Rail Ltd boards.

 

5.10 Steering Board

The recent meeting of the TfW Steering Board focussed on KPIs, TfW’s budget, CVL, Project Bullseye, OLR for rail, IFRS16, and the CEOs report.

 

There being no further business, the Chair thanked all attendees for their contributions and closed the meeting.