1 National Express Accessible Transport - Update Jan 2020 DRAFT For Discussion
NEAT Managing Director – Vinay Parmar 2 ● Appointed as Managing Director of NEAT on 15th October 2019. ● Joined National Express in 2015 leading Customer and Digital Experience across the UK Businesses ● Background in transformation and change management across a range of industries ● Excited and extremely proud to be entering the accessible transport market and feel that our expertise in public transport worldwide can help shape improved services within the sector. ● We see Ring and Ride as an essential part of the tapestry of services and we want to work with TfWM and WMCA to grow successful service which delivers against national Government transport strategy and local policy delivery in the West Midlands. ● Our vision “ To transform how our customers feel about life by reimaging accessible transport to make it enjoyable, easy and effortless to use” encompasses our desire, drive and determination to not just raise the standards of accessible transport but positively change the way they are experienced.
A Strong Ring and Ride Service changes lives, drives economic growth and 3 3 builds a better society. Parts of society are left feeling marginalised, excluded and National Express believe in ‘transport for all’ and that providing unable to engage fully in the community because of barriers great accessible transport leads to a better, more inclusive to transport. society and changes lives. • Inclusive and reliable transport is essential to giving disabled people the • 1 in 5 people in the West Midlands region are mobility impaired and confidence to travel and opening up access to employment. cannot use regular public transport. • Being able to travel can help facilitate social networks and improve • The UK's population is ageing. By 2040, 13% of the UK population access to employment or education will be aged over 75 • Accessible transport can also promote self-esteem and wellbeing • Disability has a higher prevalence as people age. In 2016/17, 45% of through leisure visits, travelling and simply 'leaving the house for its State Pension age adults reported having a disability. own sake • Disability and poor health are associated with an increased risk of • Local economies and business can benefit as households with a loneliness, with research showing that two-thirds of disabled people disabled person in them had a spending power of £249bn in 2014/15 have felt lonely in the past year which will increase further with an ageing population. • 24% of disabled people turndown employment opportunities due to transport barriers Investing to secure a strongly performing Ring and Ride service has to be good for the West Midlands in supporting economic growth, driving social inclusion and delivering a positive impact in terms of reduced spending in other Government and local council services: • London School of Economics study of older people says for every £1 spent in preventing loneliness there are £3 of savings. • Socially isolated individuals are 1.6 times more likely to visit a GP and 1.8 times more likely to visit and A&E but 3.5 times more likely to enter local authority funded health care • Loneliness and exclusion are key causes of depression and it is estimated costs that the direct costs for treatment for adults with depression is £370m. • A 2017 report on the Social Value concluded that for every £1 spent the service generated £6.38 of benefit in terms of social and economic value. • A ‘Why Community Transport Matters’ report published in February 2016 – identifies that without Dial a Ride 5.07% of users would require day care at an estimated average cost per person, per annum of £7,670. Dial a Ride reduces this to 2.9%. Source: DFT Inclusive Transport strategy, Social Isolation and Loneliness in the UK, IoTUK.org.uk, TfWM Movement for Growth 2026 Delivery plan
Our experience so far 4 4 NEAT took operational responsibility for Ring and Ride in August 2019 and inherited a poorly managed organisation in disarray. The culture was autocratic with a lack of empowerment in employees to be able to make the right decisions, the fleet of vehicles was poorly maintained and there was mass under investment facilities all of which led to poor service delivery. Below are the key challenges and observations we have made: 1 6 Ring and Ride has a perception problem that the service is only a Ring and Ride with drivers feel like they are carers first and have a deep particular section of society when in truth it is available to a much rooted sense of social purpose, that are always willing to go that extra wider groups. A customer survey revealed that 70% of users were over mile. the age of 75 and 83% identified as being white. 7 2 A poorly maintained fleet, unroadworthy vehicles, a worrying lack of Previous autocratic leadership has left behind a culture which has a safety focus in the organisation, absence of investment at operational fear of failure leading to a resistance to change and a lack of sites and employees with inadequate personal safety equipment, all of innovation. which culminated in poor service delivery 3 8 Booking journeys with Ring and Ride is outdated and restrictive making it hard for customers to use, along with a lack of customer information Consecutive reductions in funding have driven down patronage by and processes which are designed around the business and not the end almost a third since 2015. users of the service. 4 9 Upskilling the driver workforce to within the timeframe to meet O The operation is inefficient, with route planning done manually based Licence standards has been more challenging that anticipated but we the local knowledge of schedulers which does not take into account have agreed an extension to our existing permits with the traffic latest traffic conditions. commissioner to 3rd April 2020. 5 Customers are not notified of exact pick up times, are unable to follow late running services and as a result are left to wait which contributes to cancellations and no shows.
Summary of NEAT’s transformation plan 5 5 Without a fundamental transformation, Ring and Ride service will continue to rapidly decline in patronage and eventually become unsustainable for any operator, therefore change is not an option; it is a necessity. Our transformation plan is focused on inspiring, driving and delivering a change programme which will result in a thriving, sustainable, high quality service which is easy to use and attractive to a wider range of society as part of their everyday lives A C Improving the customer journey to appeal to a wider audience A great place to work and make it easier to use. ● Decide: Clear customer proposition which driving inclusion, growth ● People and Culture: We want to build a high performing business and social value. with an empowered, customer centred, forward thinking workforce ● Book: Simple, Fast and Easy booking process which can be accessed who embrace change and innovation. via multiple channels. ● Real Living Wage Employer : We are committed to being an ● Travel: Reliable, efficient services delivering a great customer accredited Living Wage Foundation employer and were the first experience private transport group to commit do so in 2015. The pledge has ● Post Journey: Great customer service and recovery with an always benefitted hundreds of workers across our UK Bus and Coach listening culture. businesses and has been applied in NEAT from day one. B D Raising operational standards, driving safety and imbedding Continued Investment excellence ● Safety: NXWM are the safest transport company in the world and ● NEAT has already invested c.£0.5m in driver training, project NEAT will be part of that. management, vehicle testing and safety related activity as part of the ● Fleet and Depots : Clean, efficient vehicles with the right depot mobilisation of services which we expect to increase to c.£0.7m once footprint to reduce fuel consumption, increase utilization and completed. contribute to improved air quality in our city. ● We plan to continue our investment with significant additional spend of capital on fleet, facilities, technology and transformation subject to agreed funding.
Recommend
More recommend
