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Agenda item

To receive a report by the Cambrian Partnership Railway Officer.

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Claire Williams, Cambrian Partnership Railway Officer, to her first meeting of this committee.

 

She outlined activities undertaken since the previous meeting as follows:

 

(a)           Improving links with local communities and their railway

 

Community and engagement work was continuing with Arriva Trains Wales and Network Rail. A level crossing safety competition was held recently with Ysgol Maenofferen, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Ysgol y Traeth, Barmouth and Ysgol Tan y Castell, Harlech, as part of the partnership with Network Rail to change the historical mindset of how level crossings are not important to young people and to show them the dangers of not using them correctly. The winner and two runners up received free family tickets to see Santa on the Highlands and Ffestiniog Railway and book tokens courtesy of the Cambrian Railway Partnership and the Welsh Books Council.

 

(b)       Continual improvement and development of existing rail services and infrastructure

 

Strategic stakeholder meetings take place on a monthly basis for the development of Bow Street with the chair of the SARLC also attending these meetings. The Cambrian Partnership Railway Officer has recently been asked by Welsh Government and Network Rail to be the lead on the Equality and Diversity element of the project. The plans are shortly going out to consultation and are currently working with a substantial number of disability and equality groups to ensure that the plans do not have a detrimental effect on service users.

 

(c)   Local line-specific timetable production

 

The December 2017- May 2018 pocket timetable has now been produced and distributed to relevant TIC’s, stations and other relevant outlets. The Cambrian Partnership Railway Officer will also be working closely with ATW on any amendments to the May 2018-December 2018 timetable.

 

(d) Surveys

 

The Cambrian Railways Partnership was delighted to work with the Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth Rail Liaison Committee and to commission a survey that was undertaken in spring 2017 as part of the grant from the Welsh Government. The surveys follow on from the success of the 2013 and 2015 surveys which resulted in improved services on the Cambrian Lines. The results of this survey were presented to Gareth Evans, Rail Economist for Welsh Government along with other WG officials by the Committee November 17th 2017 at a meeting in Cathays Park. WG then disseminated this information to the franchise bidders as supporting information for their final bid, which had to be submitted to WG and TfW in December 2017.

 

 

(e)        2018/2019 Promotional Campaign

 

The RDO has also agreed with the partnership that to make the best of the Visit Wales “2018 Year of the Sea” thematic year and its potential for increasing tourism to the regions that it would be best to issue an invitation to tender for the creation and management of a complete Year of the Sea social media campaign along with continued management and maintenance of the new Wales on rails website. The invitation was sent out in December with responses to be received by Mid-January. The contract was awarded to Equinox Communications in Cardiff, who have already started making significant changes and fixes to the website and social media platforms, with the new website http://www.walesonrails.com due to go live mid-March in readiness for Easter.  Members were given an opportunity of seeing the website at the meeting. 

 

 

(f)   Reports and Meetings

 

The Cambrian Partnership Railway Officer stated that she also attends a number of town council meetings to raise the profile of making the Cambrian Railway a Dementia Friendly Community in its own entity. A number of towns such as Machynlleth, Welshpool, Porthmadog and Newtown are already Dementia Friendly Communities and are now looking at adding travel as part of their action plans and she is assisting them along with the Dementia Friendly Communities Co-ordinator to support them in gaining the status for their stations. A request had also been made by the Managing Director of Traveline Cymru to assist them with best practice and how to make themselves a dementia friendly organisation.

It was further noted that it is hoped to arrange for small groups with dementia to engage with children at various events.

 

 

(g)       During the ensuing discussion, the following matters were noted:

 

(i)         The Chairman welcomed the co-operation of working with communities especially helping those people suffering with dementia and the Cambrian Partnership Railway Officer was requested to send details of any events to the Members’ Support Officer for onward transmission to members in order for them to publicise such events in their respective wards. 

 

(ii)        It was also encouraging to note that work was being undertaken regarding level crossings with schools.  In response, the Cambrian Partnership Railway Officer stated that she was currently working on a project for level crossings in creating two videos, one aimed to the tourism market and the other aimed to young farmers, and hopefully these will be finalised by the end of March and circulated to schools thereafter.  The video footage would be about 2 minutes when they would have to watch, and sign that they will adhere to level crossing requirements. 

 

(iii)       The Cambrian Partnership Railway Officer was congratulated for her work in getting more passengers to use the railway line.  However there is a need for more rolling stock, i.e. 4 carriages on the line, and particularly during the holidays.

 

In response, Mr Ben Davies (Arriva Trains Wales) agreed that there was a need for more carriages but stated that there is a shortage of stock of trains in the UK and the company has to rely on cascading stock.  This summer it will be possible to cascade rolling stock onto the Cambrian Line with the possibility of trains with 4 carriages to be seen on the line.  It was further noted that this is a matter, which the new franchise needs to investigate and which should be lobbied with Welsh Government.  Shortage of staff and drivers was not an issue. 

 

(iv)       The two for one offers with CADW was a brilliant idea and it was encouraged to advertise widely within communities, at local campsites, hotels, etc.

 

(i)            With regard to the new website, it was suggested that it would be advantageous, not only to form a link with places to stay but also with local taxi services.  Far more people were using the train but some passengers were proving difficulty to go further due to the loss of bus services in the area. 

 

In reply, Mr Ben Davies stated that he was working closely with the Manager of TrawsCymru in order to try and link more trains with the buses but there were various constraints i.e. contract to ensure that school children arrived in Ysgol Ardudwy on time.

 

Resolved        -           To receive, note and thank the Cambrian Partnership Railway Officer for the report.