Issue - meetings

To provide an update on performance and operational matters

Lead: Gary Bogan

6.1          Members received the report from the Rail North Partnership Director who highlighted the key points within the report.

6.2          Ms Williams informed the Committee the Mr Nick Donovan will be standing down in the Spring as Managing Director and that she will be his replacement.  She then updated the Committee on the current situation at Northern.

6.3          The Chair congratulated Ms Williams on her appointment and asked her to convey the Committee’s gratitude to Mr Donovan for his leadership as we went through the operator of last resort process.  He noted that things have improved significantly from where it was over the last few years and Mr Donovan played a huge part in that improvement.   

6.4          Mayor Driscoll highlighted that cancellations are now outside of the target set and looked for a guarantee that it will be back below the 4.2% cancellation target at the next meeting.

In response Ms Williams stated that this would be difficult due to the long term nature of the sickness which will take some time to address.  She stated there is a robust long term sickness plan in place and whilst the occupational health tender process is concluding, she anticipates that this will take a couple of months to establish. She expressed her hope that this would be the case but was unable to offer any guarantees.

Resolved:

That the report be noted and that the actions that Transport for the North and Rail North Partnership (RNP) are taking to ensure operators have robust recovery plans in place are supported.