Severe weather can cost Transport for Wales up to £500,000 a day

PASSENGER journeys and ticket sales income are up on Transport for Wales, but there are risks ahead, including the effects of climate change and extreme weather.

- ABBIE WIGHTWICK

Severe weather can cost TfW up to £500,000 a day, the operator has revealed in its annual report.

It says, depending on the level of disruption, the cost impact can range from £100,000 to half a million pounds a day.

The 2024-25 report looks at a number of areas, including risks the operator faces in the coming months and beyond.

Climate is detailed as a “principal risk” to the not-for-profit organisation, primarily because of the risk of disruption due to an increase in extreme weather events.

“The impact of extreme weather Storms Ashley, Bert, Darragh and Éowyn all impacted our ability to run rail and bus services,” the report says, “We're working to develop ways to improve our resilience to extreme weather, including contracting rail replacement services, working closer with Network Rail and improving the immediacy of our reporting services.”

TfW, a not-for-profit organisation wholly owned by the Welsh Government, says it is planning for more such extreme weather with climate-related risks and adaptation costs being integrated into long-term financial planning.

There is also a risk that bus franchising in Wales will not be delivered as promised, due to a lack of money and resources, its report says.

The Welsh Government has announced plans for major changes to bus services in Wales, but in the section of the report where risks to TfW are detailed, one reads: “Risk of TfW not achieving bus franchising and the wider bus policy aspirations and outcomes in Wales”.

It says that over the next six months, the risks are threefold: