Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Andrew, Holl-Allen and Welsh.

(i)            Proposal for tram naming

The Chair referred to a briefing note circulated to the committee prior to the meeting that put forward a tram naming proposal with regards to the opening of the first stage of the Westside extension due in December 2019 and two proposals relating to the late Mayor Elias Mattu for the opening of the Wolverhampton City Extension due in December 2020.

The committee agreed to a tram being named after Jasper Carrott for the Westside extension but deferred the decision relating to the Wolverhampton City Centre Extension. It was agreed that a working party would be established, comprised of the TDC Chair, two Vice-Chairs and TfWM Officers, to consider the tram naming criteria  previously agreed and to involve input from local councillors as appropriate.

(ii)          National Express Biogas fuelled bus trial bus trip

The Chair referred to an opportunity for committee members to take a trip on a biogas fuelled bus as part of a bus trial being undertaken by National Express during September.

(iii)         Farewell to Phil Hewitt

The Managing Director TfWM, Laura Shoaf, informed the committee that Phil Hewitt, Director of West Midlands Metro would be leaving the organisation later this month to take up a new role in Israel. The committee conveyed their thanks and appreciation to Phil Hewitt for all his work on the West Midlands Metro.

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 July 2019 were agreed as a correct record subject to the following minor amendment

Minute no.11 West Midlands Metro- Westside Extension Stop Names to read:

3. That in relation to the naming of tram stops, commercial opportunities

     be explored with stakeholders vested in the area with regards to

     sponsoring the naming of a stop  i.e, HSBC for tram stop 2 Centenary

     Square and Calthorpe Estates for tram stop 5

     (Edgbaston Village or Garden Square).

Minute No. 6 Correspondence/Petitions – Alderminister Action Group

Further to a request from Councillor Richards for an update on correspondence submitted by the Alderminister Action Group to TfWM on A7/A8 subsidised bus service in Solihull, the Director of Integrated Transport Services, Pete Bond reported that TfWM has responded fully to the group’s concerns and a meeting has been arranged with the  Alderminister Action Group later this month.

Minute No.12 Notice of Motion

In relation to the notice of motion submitted by the Majority Vice-Chair, Councillor Worrall, at the last meeting [that called upon Rotala (Diamond Bus) to review its position with regards to joining the WASPI concessionary travel pass scheme] and whether a response has been received from the Board of Rotala, the Director of Integrated Transport Services, Pete Board reported that a formal response has not yet been received from the company.

The Chair considered a marketing campaign was required to encourage eligible women to join the WASPI concessionary travel scheme and asked to be advised of the latest take-up figures for the pass.

None submitted.

The committee considered a report of the Director of Customer Experience that informed the committee of the ‘refreshed’ approach to managing transport petitions received by the West Midlands Combined Authority.

The Chair and Lead Member for Putting Passengers First outlined the report and advised the committee that the principles for the new petitions protocol had been endorsed by the Putting Passengers First Lead Member Reference Group.

The report set out the process with regards to the petition signatories, Officer Petition Panel (below 250 signatures), transport petitions over 250 signatures, non-transport petitions over 250 signatures, petitioners involvement, service level agreement and scope of matters to be considered relating to transport.

It was noted that the proposed new protocol would applied to petitions on or received after 1 October 2019.

The committee endorsed the new protocol for petitions.

Resolved: That the contents of the report be noted.

The committee considered a report of the Finance Director that set out the financial position as at 31 July 2019 with regards to the Combined Authority’s Transport Delivery Revenue and Capital Budgets.

Councillor Akhtar, Lead Member for Finance and Performance introduced the report and highlighted the report’s recommendations.

In relation to concerns expressed by Councillors Alden and Richards on the underspend of major schemes such as Metro and the implications for delivery and future cost increases, the Managing Director, Laura Shoaf advised that both the Centenary Square and the Edgbaston Metro Extensions would open on time and on budget and undertook to provide additional information to the committee.

Resolved:

1.    That the year to date net revenue expenditure to the end of July 2019 shows a favourable variance of £0.143m compared to budget and the forecast position shows a favourable movement of £0.037m from budget be noted and

2.    That the total capital expenditure to the end of July 2019 for the overall transport programme was £31.5m which was £10.5m below the year to date budget of £42.0m and the annual forecast position shows a favourable movement of £16.7m from budget be noted.

The committee considered a report of the Director of Development and Delivery that provided an update on progress monitoring on the approved TfWM led 2019/2020 programmes and projects.

Councillor Akhtar, Lead Member for Finance and Performance introduced the report and outlined the key highlights.

In relation an enquiry from Councillor Huxtable regarding two different dates stated in the report for the completion of Perry Barr and University Stations, the Director of Development and Delivery, Sandeep Shingadia explained that the baseline date given referred to the rail industry GRIP milestone date, whereas the forecast date was the in-service date but confirmed both dates did align.

Resolved:

1.    That the achievements since the July 2019 meeting of the Transport Delivery Committee be noted;

2.    That progress of deliverables and the outturn of the 2019/20 Capital Programme be noted and

3.    That there are no variations from the baseline programme be noted.

The committee considered a report of the Director of Rail that provided an update relating to the performance, operation and delivery of rail services in the West Midlands including rail operator partnership agreements and West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) activity.

Councillor Lawrence, Lead Member for Rail and Metro, introduced the report and highlighted key areas within the report.

In relation to a request for information on the community engagement consultation exercise on the Camp Hill Line from Councillor Huxtable and for further information on why park and ride was not going to be provided at the three new stations on the Camp Hill Line, the Head of Rail Franchising and Partnerships, Tom Painter, undertook to share the outcome of the consultation engagement with Councillor Huxtable and to follow-up his request with colleagues for further information on park and ride.

In relation to an enquiry from Councillor Worrall as to whether he could be a member of the Chase Line Taskforce that has been set up to tackle issues on the route, the Head of Rail Franchising and Partnerships, Tom Painter, advised that the taskforce was an internal West Midlands Trains (WMT) group and West Midlands Rail Executive only attended in an observer capacity but undertook to ask WMT whether Councillor Worrall could join the taskforce.

Resolved: That the contents of the report be noted.

The committee considered a report of the Metro Programme Director, West Midlands Metro that provided an overview of the last 6 months of Midland Metro Limited’s performance as operator of the Metro network.

Councillor Lawrence, Lead Member for Rail and Metro, introduced the report and considered the report was very encouraging noting the progress made on Metro operations since being taken in-house in June 2018.

The Head of Business Transformation, Sophie Allison, outlined the improvements Midland Metro Limited (MML) had introduced over the last year for the customer and for the operation of the tram service and set out its plans for further improvements in the future.

Councillor Lawrence on behalf of the committee, asked that thanks and appreciation be recorded for all the work undertaken by Phil Hewitt during his three and half years as Metro Programme Director.

Resolved : That the contents of the report be noted.

This item was deferred to the next meeting.

The committee considered a report of the Director of Network Resilience that informed members of the current approach to transport planning for the Commonwealth Games in 2022, to allow them to comment on proposals and also set out the commitment required by relevant authorities to deliver the transport interventions required for the Games.

The Director of Network Resilience, Anne Shaw, outlined the report and reported that following approval by the WMCA Board on 13 September 2019, a 12 week engagement period would be undertaken with the public and businesses across the WMCA area to ask whether the guiding principles behind the plan are right and how people want to be kept informed as transport planning is progressing.

The committee noted the importance of encouraging all communities to feel   involved in the Commonwealth Games and considered the need for initiatives to include those communities that feel disconnected with the Games.

In relation to the public events that are being held during the engagement period, the Director of Network Resilience undertook to share details of the events with the committee from 16 September.

The Chair reminded the committee that the Commonwealth Games was also the subject of the pre-TDC briefing on 4 November 2019.

Resolved: That the imminent publication of the Commonwealth Games Strategic Transport Plan be noted.

To consider any notices of motion by the deadline of 12 noon on 5 September 2019.

None submitted.

To consider any questions submitted by the deadline of 12 noon on 5 September 2019 for written questions and 12 noon on 6 September 2019 for oral questions.

None submitted.

The committee considered a report on the agenda items to be submitted to future meetings.

Resolved: That the report be noted.

[To pass the following resolution:

That in accordance with Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act, 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the business or financial affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)]

Resolved: That in accordance with Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the business or financial affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

The committee received a report entitled ‘Midland Metro Buy Before Boarding’ that would be considered by the WMCA Board at its meeting on 13 September 2019.

The report was submitted for information only.

It was agreed that the Chair would feedback comments to the WMCA Board on the report from the committee.

Resolved: That the report be noted.