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Transport for Wales

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This article is about the government-owned regulating company. For the former and current train operating companies branded as "Transport for Wales", see KeolisAmey Wales and Transport for Wales Rail respectively. For a general overview of public transport in Wales, see Transport in Wales.
"TfW" redirects here. For other uses, see TFW.

Transport for Wales
Trafnidiaeth Cymru
AbbreviationTfW
PredecessorStrategic Rail Authority (2001–2005)
Welsh Government (2005–2016)
Formation1 April 2016 (2016-04-01)
TypePrivate company limited by guarantee
Legal statusWholly owned subsidiary of the Welsh Government
PurposeTransport authority
Headquarters3 Llys Cadwyn Pontypridd CF37 4TH [1]
Region served
Wales and the England–Wales border
OwnerWelsh Government
Chief Executive Officer
James Price
Main organ
Wales & Borders franchise
SubsidiariesTransport for Wales Rail
Websitetfw.wales Edit this at Wikidata

Transport for Wales (TfW; Welsh: Trafnidiaeth Cymru; TrC) is a not-for-profit company owned by the Welsh Government and managed at arms length by its appointed board.[2] TfW oversees the Transport for Wales Group (TfW Group) consisting of itself and its subsidiaries: Transport for Wales Rail, the train operator of the Wales & Borders railway franchise; Pullman Rail Limited; and TfW Innovation Services Limited, a joint venture between TfW (51%) and former operator KeolisAmey Wales (49%).[3]

TfW contracted KeolisAmey Wales in 2018 to run using the trading name Transport for Wales Rail Services. Due to a fall in passengers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a Welsh-government owned company, Transport for Wales Rail Limited, took over day-to-day operations of the franchise on 7 February 2021.[4][5][6]

QED Centre, former registered office of TfW until 29 November 2019

History

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TfW was established as an arms-length body by the Welsh Government to provide support and expertise to the transport projects in Wales.[7] In 2017, it procured the new Operator and Development Partner for the Wales & Borders railway franchise[8] under powers delegated to the Welsh government under the Government of Wales Act 2006.[9]

The company introduced the Transport for Wales brand to replace the now defunct Arriva Trains Wales brand on the Wales & Borders franchise from 14 October 2018. The franchise was fully operated by KeolisAmey Wales.[10][11][12]

In the Summer 2020 the Welsh Government withdrew the Bus Services (Wales) Bill that they were developing, which would have provided local councils with the statutory power to franchise bus routes in Wales. This was because they aimed, as part of other reasons "to utilise Transport for Wales as the main delivery and procurement body for the bus system, transferring the roles from local authorities, in return for the local authorities becoming part ‘owners’ of TfW".[13]

On 22 October 2020, the Welsh Government announced that the Wales and Borders rail franchise was to transfer operations to a Welsh-government owned rail operator of last resort, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all staff, operations, and branding was transferred to the new company on 7 February 2021.[14]

On 10 August 2021, TfW announced the acquisition of Cardiff-based engineering service provider Pullman Rail Ltd from Colas Rail. TfW stated this was to ensure their Canton depot "will have the required capacity and resilience to support the introduction of TfWs flagship Metro scheme alongside new rolling stock for the Wales and Borders network."[15]

Transport initiatives

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Regional metros

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See also: South Wales Metro, North Wales Metro, and Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro

TfW is responsible for the development of the South Wales, North Wales and Swansea Bay and West Wales Metros. Both are multi-modal systems, integrating the heavy and light rail networks with local bus services, active travel and other modes of transport.[16]

A North-South railway has been suggested to better link North and South Wales.[17][18][19]

Fflecsi

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Main article: Fflecsi

As part of the Welsh Government's Llwybr Newydd strategy.[20] On 18 May 2020, Fflecsi, a demand-responsive transport service was launched in Newport in co-operation between TfW, Newport Bus and Newport City Council. The service has since expanded to multiple principal areas of Wales. Fflecsi is part of TfW's increased investment in alternative transport modes, with further expansion planned across Wales following good progress and popularity of the service in Newport and Cardiff North. In 2021, Fflecsi expanded operations to Blaenau Gwent and Flintshire, although the Newport service was discontinued from 25 September 2022.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "TRANSPORT FOR WALES - Overview (free company information from Companies House)". Find and update company information - GOV.UK.
  2. ^ "TRANSPORT FOR WALES - Overview (free company information from Companies House)". Find and update company information - GOV.UK. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  3. ^ TfW Annual Report 2020/21 (PDF). admin.tfw.wales: Transport for Wales. 21 July 2021.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. ^ "Transport for Wales rail franchise taken over by Welsh Government amid Covid Challenges". RailAdvent. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Wales' railway services now nationalised by the Welsh Government". Nation.Cymru. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  6. ^ Hughes, Owen (8 February 2021). "Wales's rail services have now been nationalised by Welsh Government". North Wales Live. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Welsh Government Arm's Length Bodies" (PDF). Welsh Government. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  8. ^ "What we do". gov.wales. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Devolution settlement: Wales". GOV.UK. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Terms and Conditions". Transport for Wales. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  11. ^ "KEOLIS AMEY WALES CYMRU LIMITED - Filing history". Find and update company information - GOV.UK. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  12. ^ "KEOLIS (UK) LIMITED - Filing history (free information from Companies House)". Find and update company information - GOV.UK. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  13. ^ "Transport for Wales could take over council bus tendering ro". TransportXtra. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Transport for Wales rail services to be nationalised". BBC News. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Transport for Wales signs deal to purchase Pullman Rail Limited". Transport for Wales. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  16. ^ "Metro". gov.wales. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  17. ^ Crump, Eryl (21 March 2020). "Campaigners want these two railway lines reopened to link North and South Wales". North Wales Live. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  18. ^ "New Welsh Government rail map raises campaigners' hope for a north-south railway". Nation.Cymru. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  19. ^ "Pembrokeshire bus service Fflecsi moving into top gear as lockdown eases. See details here". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Fflecsi bus scheme ending in Newport after 'successful' trial". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
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