Traveline Cymru MD crowned Women in Transport award winner

The managing director of Traveline Cymru has been crowned the winner of the Women in Transport award at the 2020 Wales Transport Awards.

Jo Foxall, from Cowbridge, has been recognised for her tireless dedication to the organisation over the last 16 and a half years.

Originally joining the public transport information provider in the role of Marketing Assistant, Jo has progressed within the organisation to her current role of Managing Director, which she had for the last three years.

Jo sits on the Board of Directors and is responsible for developing the overall strategy for the business, leading the day-to-day management of its Cardiff and Gwynedd sites with 44 staff and liaising with its funding body, Welsh Government.

Despite the many challenges of the last 12 months, including the impact of adverse weather on public transport at the start of the year and the ongoing effect of Covid-19 on the transport industry as a whole, under Jo’s leadership Traveline Cymru has delivered over five million pieces of vital transport information to the Welsh public and achieved a 94% customer satisfaction rate for its bilingual contact centre.

On winning the award Jo, said: “I’m extremely humbled to have won this award, as I was up against some of the industry’s most driven and successful leaders.

“This year has been unprecedented for the transport industry, presenting many challenges which are still ongoing.

“I’m proud of how our organisation has responded rapidly and with a can do attitude to the changes that have come about. Despite significant changes to our working arrangements, we have continued to deliver a high level of service to our customers and contracts. We were even able to assist some of our contract holders by handling additional calls as their businesses faced their own challenges.

“A big thank you to the organisers of these awards for shining the spotlight on the industry’s tireless efforts in keeping Wales moving.”

Now in its second year, the Wales Transport Awards saw finalists from across all parts of Wales compete for 11 awards in a variety of different categories, including the Service to the Transport Industry award, which was sponsored by Traveline Cymru and awarded to First Cymru Buses Ltd.

The online event, streamed live on YouTube, included a message of thanks from the Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart MP and a special recognition award for the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership – Supply Chain Logistics & Transport. This was presented to Tony Chatfield, whose interview brought attention to the work that his team had been (and still is) responsible for during this pandemic.

With overall sponsorship by KeolisAmey Wales the awards are the only one of their kind in Wales to recognise the crucial work that transport companies do to keep business moving in Wales.

Liz Brookes, Founder of the Wales Transport Awards and Owner of Grapevine Event Management said: “The women in Transport award was a hotly contested category full of amazing women. Jo Foxall from Traveline Cymru impressed the judging panel as she has obviously made a significant impact throughout her career at Traveline Cymru and deserved to be recognised.

She added: “Although we couldn’t get to celebrate in person with everyone, I am so pleased we were still able to recognise these amazing companies and individuals who keep Wales moving, especially after such a difficult year. A huge congratulations to all the winners as well as each of the finalists who are also recognised for their hard work and the success this has delivered for them.”

Traveline Cymru provides a ‘one-stop-shop’ for travel information in Wales. The not-for-profit company is based on a partnership between the Welsh Government, public transport operators in Wales and Welsh local authorities. It provides route and timetable information for all bus, coach and rail services in the country via a bilingual website www.traveline.cymru, its Freephone telephone service (0800 464 00 00) and a suite of services for mobile phone users, including a bilingual app.