Helen Smith, Managing Director of the Severn Valley Railway, has confirmed that a consultation period over compulsory redundancies is about to start.

Costs need to be reduced in the coming year, and Helen Smith says that the railway has found a number of ways to achieve this.

For the first few months of the 2023 season, trains will run less frequently and on less days (this is going to be reviewed in mid-May).

March will see trains running between Kidderminster and Highley only due to engineering work taking place on the northern end of the line – tickets have been reduced due to the shortened journey.

The full line will reopen on the 1st April for the Open House Weekend where the public can gain access to behind the scenes at the railway.

Utility costs are also being reduced, and only essential work being carried out on rolling stock and infrastructure.

Adding 2022 and 2023 together, the SVR says that it needs to save £600,000 in staff costs – this has been reached by not filling vacancies and redeploying existing staff to cover roles.

The board of directors have also tasked the team with saving £300,000 in staff costs in 2023 – and Helen Smith says that they are about to begin a consultation period for compulsory redundancies, likely to be up to 18 paid roles across the railway.

In her full statement, Helen Smith, Managing Director, said: “We need to reduce costs in the coming year, and will achieve this in a number of ways. For the first few months of our season, we will run on fewer days than last year, with fewer departures. We will review this in mid-May.

We’re running between Kidderminster and Highley only for the weekends in March because engineering work is taking place at two locations north of Highley. Ticket prices have been reduced because of the shorter journey that will be available. We reopen the full line on Saturday 1st April, with our exciting Open House Weekend, when people get chance to glimpse behind the scenes, at areas of the railway not normally accessible to the public.

We will also undertake an ambitious reduction of utility costs, and only carry out essential work on rolling stock and infrastructure. Additionally, we will make a large-scale reduction in salary costs.

Taking 2022 and 2023 together, existing measures mean we will have identified a saving of £650,000 in staff costs. This has been achieved by not filling vacancies, and redeploying existing staff to cover. We are also having to allow for a significant statutory increase to minimum wage levels.

Additionally, we’ve been tasked by the board of directors to make an additional £300,000 of savings in staff costs this year. This means we are about to begin a consultation period for compulsory redundancies, likely to affect up to 18 paid roles, across the Railway and at all levels.”