Senedd to debate report on Transport for Wales scrutiny
Transport for Wales’ performance comes under the spotlight next week as Senedd Members debate the committee’s latest scrutiny report.
The committee made 20 recommendations, all of which TfW either accepted or accepted in principle.
In its response, TfW said it was “closer than ever to delivering our vision for truly integrated transport in Wales”.
Rail performance
The committee noted that TfW’s rail performance is improving overall but said it expects “continuous improvement, particularly given the level of public investment in the service”.
TfW’s Passenger Time Lost (PTL) data, which measures trains arriving within three minutes of their scheduled time, shows more consistent punctuality on the Core Valley Lines (CVL) than across the wider Wales and Borders network.
TfW Chief Executive James Price told Members that extreme weather events were partly responsible for the differences in performance.
Senedd Research analysis of Office of Rail and Road (ORR) data showed TfW had a higher proportion of cancellations caused by external events affecting infrastructure compared with UK averages, and also a higher rate of operator-attributed cancellations.
Between August 2024 and August 2025, stations in Wales had the highest cancellation rate of any UK nation. TfW’s adjusted cancellations score, which includes advance timetable changes, has typically been above the England and Wales average, though it fell below it in the two most recent performance periods.
The committee also raised concerns about ongoing rolling stock issues. Problems caused by delays in the delivery of new trains have persisted, although Mr Price said the situation “was not resulting in cancellations to the extent seen in the past”.
TfW was urged to “use all options available” to ensure final contracts are delivered on time.
Despite challenges, TfW reported the greatest improvement in punctuality among all UK operators between April and June 2025 using the ‘On time to 3’ method. Data shows the gap between TfW and national averages narrowing, with TfW slightly outperforming the Great Britain and England and Wales averages in the most recent period.
TfW has also begun publishing punctuality data separately for the CVL and the wider Wales and Borders network, with CVL services proving more reliable. The committee repeated its recommendation for route-level performance data, which TfW accepted in principle.
Customer satisfaction
After a period of low ratings in Transport Focus’s passenger survey, satisfaction with TfW services has improved in recent months, particularly for information provision and cleanliness.
However, satisfaction with value for money has declined, and the committee said ongoing improvements to punctuality and reliability will be crucial to maintaining public trust.
Bus reform
TfW’s expanding role in bus services comes as Wales prepares for franchising under the Bus Services (Wales) Bill.
The committee expressed concern that Wales has seen the slowest post-Covid recovery in bus passenger numbers across the UK, with usage at 78.3% of pre-pandemic levels compared with more than 89% in England and Scotland.
TfW said it is working with the Welsh Government on research to understand the factors behind the slower recovery. Stage 2 of the Bill’s scrutiny is due to take place on 22 October.
Active travel
The committee welcomed TfW’s growing role in promoting walking, cycling and wheeling, but warned it should not weaken local authority capacity.
It highlighted Audit Wales’s 2024 report, which found the Welsh Government remains “a long way from achieving the step change” intended under the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013.
The Welsh Government acknowledged weaknesses in monitoring and data collection, saying a new National Transport Survey will help provide better evidence from spring 2026.
The latest ‘Walking, wheeling and cycling annual report 2024-25’ suggests that initial findings will be available next year.
Check live fuel prices near you before you set off.
Spotted something? Got a story? Email news (@) deeside.com
NEW: Add Deeside.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Latest News
