The plan to move to in-house co-ordination and management of rail replacement services by Transport for Wales (TfW) has not met with major complaints from operators, according to Coach and Bus Association Cymru (CaBAC) Director Bev Fowles.
From 24 July, Transport for Wales will directly commission operators instead of the present aggregator agreement in which a separate agency co-ordinates the work.
The opening tender notice went live in April and indicated that the total value of contracts is expected to be £97,210,340. That was based on FY2024/25 data when TfW says there were 6,000 emergency duties and 21,000 planned duties.
It is currently intended the open framework will run for eight years. Contracts will be awarded based on 55% quality and 45% price. It applies to TfW Rail Limited services within Wales and between Wales and England.
Mr Fowles, who is director of Swansea-based operator South Wales Transport, feels the new rail replacement procurement framework was “inevitable” now the railway network in Wales is publicly owned and operated.
“It was probably going to happen once they got all the railway network under their belt,” he says.
“If you want total control, you’ve got to have it over the replacement service that operates when the trains can’t. It’s a final part of the jigsaw.
“I can only assume most [operators] have said it’s an inevitability of ownership of the rail network in Wales.”
He adds that the direct approach will probably mean better value for money for the taxpayer. “Once you involve a third party, you’re going to add on 10% minimum,” he says.
