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09 South Counties June15 Flipbook PDF
09 South Counties June15
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Southern Counties June 2015
Working together for the future
WIN holiday vouchers worth £500
Going for gold at awards
Pages 4/5
Page 6
Page 7
21 BUSES BOOST FASTRACK FLEET Part of a wider investment and innovation plan for Northfleet
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ORTHFLEET depot is set to welcome 21 new buses for its Fastrack services. The StreetLites will replace the existing fleet, under the supervision of operations manager Mark Coleman. Mark said: “We are all very happy to be receiving these revolutionary buses. The award-winning Fastrack service is not just one of the most important services to Southern Counties, but also to the whole business. Having these state-of-the-art vehicles is sure to inject new life into the area.”
£750,000 investment for luxury park & ride service
– turn to page 7
Sapphire spec The buses will have Sapphire-style specifications and a new style of Fastrack livery. As before, Fastrack is operated by working very closely with partners Kent County Council, Dartford and Gravesham councils and with Prologis. The new buses are part of a wider plan of investment and innovation for Northfleet, which also includes a trial of two fullyrefurbished Enviro400s on route 490. Traditionally, a single-decker route, like most in the area, the trial was held to provide more seats during busy times and to gauge customer reaction. Mark said: “The trial has been a roaring success and we are now planning to extend the 480/490 operation using six double-deck buses in the summer. The double-deckers have been well received by all and have significantly reduced congestion on a busy route.”
The national newspaper for Arriva UK’s bus businesses
2 June 2015 Arriva Now!
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Innovative measures introduced to encourage people to take the bus ARRIVA Southern Counties is in the zone following a fare reshuffle in May. Price freezes, zone simplifications and fare reductions were introduced in May to tempt customers to take advantage of weekly tickets and encourage growth in the region. The areas of Sevenoaks, Swale, Tonbridge, Tumbridge Wells and
Crowborough saw zones simplified in favour of respective blanket fares. Sevenoaks dropped from two zones to one, giving some customers a saving of more than £20 on a four-weekly ticket, with a day ticket costing just £4. Swale customers saw Sheerness, Sittingbourne and some outlying towns join and adopt the Sittingbourne fares,
while some four-weekly tickets were also cut by £20. Tunbridge Wells, Crowborough and Tonbridge saw revised prices, while some Medway customers welcomed a price freeze on their weekly and fourweekly tickets. The initiative concentrated on growing business while giving
customers better value for money, where possible. Marketing manager Richard Lewis said: “We hope that these really greatvalue tickets will encourage people to leave the car at home for their local journeys and use the bus instead. The more they travel, the more they will save!”
Depots prepare to welcome new buses T
One of the new microhybrid Streetlite buses at Maidstone depot.
WO DEPOTS will see themselves proud operators of new buses in July as investment in Arriva Southern Counties continues. Both Guildford and Maidstone depots are to receive five and seven micro-hybrid Streetlites respectively to replace older buses. Maidstone will allocate the new buses to routes 85 and 86, which run between Maidstone Hospital and Senacre Wood, while customers at Woking will see the new buses journey between Woking and Knaphill on successful route 91. Maidstone operations manager John Bottomley said: “We’re excited about receiving the new buses. Obviously there will be a bit of a wait before we get them out on the road, as staff will have to be trained.” Guildford operations manager Chris Burley said: “We are also looking forward to introducing new buses to the fleet in Guildford, and the drivers are looking forward to driving them. It’s very positive news for the wellused 91 service.”
High praise from our customers THANKS to the dedication of Arriva Southern Counties employees, quality of service for customers is constantly improving across the board. More and more customers are writing in to praise the reliability of routes and services. In a special commendation of route 228, which runs out of Tunbridge Wells, one delighted customer wrote: “Having not used a bus in years, I have been impressed at how clean they are.” Another passenger, who is suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, mentioned that Tunbridge Wells drivers were very patient, courteous and extremely helpful to him. The customer said he appreciated this as he often gets confused, frustrated and worried when using the bus. One happy customer had high praise for the Summer Saver fare: “Your family Summer Saver ticket – £10 for two adults and two kids – is brilliant. This makes summer treats affordable. One of the best fares you’ve ever put on.” It’s comments like these that give Arriva Southern Counties the reputation it deserves and all is made possible by the hard work and passion of its employees.
We help ensure smooth running of London marathon SOUTHERN Counties’ own New Enterprise Coaches were the unsung heroes of the Virgin London Marathon this year – providing essential ‘sweep-up’ transport for all. Two coaches were laid on to transport doctors, first-aiders for distressed runners, police officers and the runners’ reps. General manager Chris Lawrence and assistant manager Gary Smith joined coach drivers Paul Duddle and Archie Deacon, all of whom were proud to assist on the day. Gary said: “The coaches took separate routes, one red route, one blue. We were tasked with picking up runners who hadn’t made it and delivering them to first aid points across the course.” With more than 37,500 people crossing the
line this year, the 35th London Marathon from Blackheath to Westminster was the biggest ever. “It was an enjoyable and interesting day, but with lots of slow driving – we had to draw it out over seven hours to see all the runners in,” said Gary. “The feedback was good and I enjoyed it so much I’ve already signed up again. We love doing events like this, it really brings some diversity to the role.” Following the success of the London Marathon, Archie was also asked to provide a similar service for the Bupa London 10,000 on May 25, where he transported staff involved with the collection and distribution of runners’ personal belongings.
General manager Chris Lawrence, centre, with coach drivers Paul Duddle, left, and Archie Deacon.
Arriva Now! June 2015 3
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NATIONAL NEWS IN this special column, we look at some of the news from Arriva’s parent company, Deutsche Bahn...
Survey reveals improved satisfaction... The DB-wide employee survey has been completed and evaluated, and there has been an improved satisfaction index across the board. Although the mood has improved, there is still a need for action. Out of 300,000 employees across 67 countries, 190,000 responded to the survey. Follow-up workshops and activities at team level have already began with managers and employees discussing the findings and agreeing on new improvement measures. The next Arriva employee survey will take place later this year with the full DB survey returning in 2016.
Mercedes F1...
In other news, DB Schenker has embarked on a four-year tour with the Mercedes Formula One team, providing logistics services until the end of 2018. This includes transporting the cars as well as entire offices for engineers, workshop boxes, spare parts, racing suits and food to different racing locations across Europe.
Fleet overhaul...
DB Schenker Rail is also readying itself for the future by overhauling and modernising its vehicle fleet. This will mean that the fleet will be in the right position to continue to support the development of rail as a favoured transport mode.
New MD gathers good first impressions of the business
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AM now into my third month at Arriva UK Bus, and I am enjoying getting around the business and meeting all my new colleagues. I have visited depots in every operating company, London and ATSL. I had the great privilege of being able to participate in this year’s M.A.D. awards, which I thought culminated in a really proud evening for all with some great examples of best practice. I have also had the opportunity to celebrate some of our long-serving colleagues in the North East and the North West, whose knowledge and expertise are invaluable to our business. Since the last edition of Arriva Now!, we have had a General Election, the result of which caught out bookies and pollsters alike. We are pleased that we weren’t faced with a hung parliament, so we can continue with the progress we have made. Of course, change is still on the horizon with the devolution debate continuing. We need to continue to work with all our stakeholders to ensure we have the most productive
by Kevin O’Connor, MD-UK Bus
“My overwhelming impression is of the sheer wealth of knowledge that my colleagues are utilising to do the right thing for customers and each other” relationships possible delivering great service for our customers and increasing passenger numbers through partnership and innovation. Revenue growth continues to be a challenge. We are making some good improvements and we are building on the work already undertaken and are focused on making sure we fully understand what works and what doesn’t. We will be expanding our passenger focus groups to see what exactly gets people out of their cars and onto our services. There has also been further investment in our services to
stimulate growth and we will be using our focus groups to make sure we target growth in the right areas. By building on the work already done, we are utilising best practices across the operating companies, looking particularly at network reviews, processes and service punctuality. I am also pleased that we are once again being recognised for our Sapphire services and have been nominated for a prestigious award at the UITP conference in Milan. This illustrates what a fantastic job we do in creating new products and services and we will be continuing with this approach.
Arriva UK Bus employees show that they are all heart
In London, there have been a number of operational challenges and the team has made huge strides with this, which has been reflected in the TfL league tables. It is pleasing to see that a number of routes have been extended and retained in recent months. At ATSL, the team has been working hard to deliver good operational performance and have been working closely with stakeholders. Although trading performance remains difficult, the team has been looking at ways to continue maintaining operational stability and best in class improvements. In summary, it has been an extremely interesting few months in the business. My overwhelming impression is of the sheer wealth of knowledge that my colleagues are utilising to do the right thing for customers and each other. The leadership team is working hard to make sure that great ideas are created locally and shared nationally. We are also working on a fiveyear strategic plan and I am looking forward to keeping you up to speed with our progress on that.
Arriva-led campaign raises profile of bus travel
CO² emissions...
In another unique collaboration, DB Schenker Logistics has teamed up with shipping giant Maersk in a bid to further reduce carbon emissions.
Your feedback improves your life at work OPERATING teams across the business are discussing how life at Arriva can be improved. As a direct result of your feedback in the 2014 employee survey, improvements are being made and will continue to be made in the months ahead. Don’t forget to get involved and have your say on how to make Arriva UK Bus an even better place to work. This is your opportunity to make a difference, so talk to your line manager about any questions, queries or suggestions.
KIND donations from people across Arriva UK Bus have truly Made A Difference to the British Heart Foundation. At the third annual M.A.D. awards, held in Stratfordupon-Avon on March 26, employees were asked to donate money to the charity through a raffle. Two bikes were among the top prizes. At the end of the night, a massive £2,110 was collected for the British Heart Foundation. HR projects manager Gil Taylor said: “At this year’s M.A.D. awards, I was delighted to be asked to choose the charity that we would be raising money for on the night. “I chose the British Heart Foundation, which is very close to my heart after losing my mum to a very sudden and unexpected heart attack in December 2014. I hope this will help to raise awareness of the disease.” Congratulations to all our M.A.D. winners!
n M.A.D. Engineer of the Year: Steve Birtwhistle (Arriva North West and Wales) n M.A.D. About Safety: Jamie Crowsley (Arriva Midlands) n M.A.D. Team of the Year: Arriva London night controllers (Arriva London) n M.A.D. in the Community: Brian Nicholas (Arriva North West) n M.A.D. Giving: Phil Cummins (Arriva North West) n M.A.D. Learner: Rob Petrie and Sonia Mills (Arriva the Shires) n Delivered M.A.D. Business Performance: Laura White (ATSL) n The Unite Award: Ricky Gravell (Arriva the Shires) n Continually M.A.D. Award: David Brown (Arriva North East) n Our Unsung Hero: Craig Garner (Arriva North East) n M.A.D. Behind the Wheel: Zek Mustafa (Arriva the Shires)
NATIONAL Catch the Bus Week, to be held across the country and throughout the industry, is just around the corner. This will be the third time that Arriva has participated in the campaign, which is being held in conjunction with other operators, transport authorities and Greener Journeys. Although now an industry-wide campaign, it was initially launched as an Arrivaled concept back in 2013. Running this year from June 29 to July 5, the campaign aims to increase awareness of the benefits of taking the bus, particularly encouraging those who don’t normally do so to give it a try. Look out for more information on Catch the Bus Week in the September issue of Arriva Now!
4 June 2015 Arriva Now!
Zek Mustafa Arriva the Shires
SIXTY SECONDS WE PUT an employee in the hotseat and ask them eight questions in 60 seconds. Our candidate, Zek Mustafa, is a driver at Arriva the Shires’ Aylesbury depot and has worked for the company for four years. She is also this year’s winner of the national M.A.D. Behind the Wheel award. AN!: What is your earliest childhood memory? Zek: First day of school. I loved school but I was a bit of a tomboy and I didn’t like having to wear a skirt! AN!: What do you think makes a good driver? Zek: Patience, a smile and enjoying the job. AN!: Do you have any hobbies? Zek: I like watching television and I love going for walks. Where I live in Aylesbury, there are lots of areas to go walking. AN!: If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? Zek: I would like to travel the world – maybe on a cruise, where you see different countries. AN!: What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Zek: Exotic Marigold Hotel – I love that film! AN!: Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with? Zek: Davina McCall. AN!: Describe a good day at work for you. Zek: Not breaking down. I drive the same bus every day and I have really got to know how it ticks.
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Working together for the future T
HIS year’s spring Arriva UK Bus conference had collaboration and sharing best practice at its core. The conference was held on April 20 and 21 in Coventry, with the main ethos being to ‘work together to deliver the collective UK Bus strategy and make the company more competitive’. Directors and managers from across UK Bus and operating companies were shown what challenges the company faced and why working together was so important. They were also encouraged to think about the big picture and how one good idea could be implemented across the whole of UK Bus. Participants discussed what success meant for UK Bus and were given a presentation of the customer perspective, followed by discussions on how this could be improved. There was also a financial update and talks about what businesses can do to make the company more competitive. “This was a great opportunity for everyone to network and share best practices from their own areas of business,” said HR director - UK Rachel Baldwin. Managing director UK Bus Kevin O’Connor talked about his first impressions of the business, particularly mentioning how pleased he was with innovation within the business and the company’s history of organic growth. He also discussed Arriva’s willingness to invest in innovation and enter new markets, and how impressed he was with the passion and knowledge within the local teams.
AN!: What would be your last meal if you could choose? Zek: A curry.
The
HOT Seat IN this issue, we put head of leadership and management development Arriva UK Carl Rayner in the hotseat, to hear his views on learning at work… In a recent adult learning survey, 95 per cent of people interviewed stated that they thought learning about new things boosted their confidence. When Carl Rayner. someone tries out a new thing and succeeds, it really does improve self-esteem. Learning doesn’t just stop at school. It is lifelong and every day is an opportunity to learn something new. Often, people learn new skills without even thinking about it, it’s not just about going on a formal training course. I think that the continuation of learning within the workplace is so important. It helps a person to grow, develop and understand what they need to do to achieve. It is about bettering yourself and getting what you want and need from your job. There are different ways of getting through your day to the best of your ability to achieve both high-level business performance and individual performance. And when you try out new ways and succeed, it only serves to improve that standard of performance. They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but that way of thinking is long gone. It is never too late to learn, so, I wonder, what will you learn today?
Arriva Now! June 2015 5
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Operating companies presented examples of successful ideas and enterprises that they could share with other parts of the business. These examples were:
In our December issue, we discussed the FOUR strategic delivery areas that Arriva UK Bus would be focusing on following the October conference. In this issue, we give you an update on these four key areas…
ARRIVA MIDLANDS Incident calls
ARRIVA NORTH WEST & WALES
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uuu network (sponsored by Nigel Featham)
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uuu growth (sponsored by Mark Yexley)
uuu Service delivery (sponsored by Heath Williams) The Service Delivery Control Record (SDCR), a standard documentation and record-keeping process, was rolled out across Arriva UK Bus in January. Using the SDCR and looking at Arriva Southern Counties, part one has been used to confirm that depot-nominated transport managers have adequate resources and robust processes. Part two of the document has identified key trends at depots and with services where things can be improved. A UK Bus service delivery forum will be set up, where managers can meet regularly to share best practice and their experiences.
uuu fARES (sponsored by Phil Stone) Fares initiatives have continued throughout Arriva UK Bus since the last conference and it has become apparent that constantly increasing fares is no longer an option. A recent passenger focus survey showed that Arriva was at the bottom of the league table in terms of value for money. In order to improve satisfaction, steps may have to be taken to re-think the company’s fare strategy.
Incident calls. The company set up conference calls so details of incidents can be shared much quicker. This means that issues can be resolved within hours.
Effective marketing
The company used effective marketing when upgrading some key routes from single-deck operation to double-deck. This has had a positive impact on revenue.
ARRIVA MIDLANDS/ LONDON ID&T
Engineering ID&T. The two companies have improved service delivery through improving vehicle reliability and availability as well as taking a ‘find it first time, fix it first time’ approach.
ARRIVA SOUTHERN COUNTIES Route control
ARRIVA TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS Volunteer programme
A series of wide ranging network re-launches is now being implemented across our UK businesses. These new networks are designed to truly fit the needs of evolving local economies and deliver long term passenger growth. Each new network has been developed using a combination of the expert knowledge of local commercial teams and detailed databases. Launches so far include Southport, Wakefield, Luton, Darlington and Medway with another 15 about to follow. All these schemes focus on improved frequencies, simplified and therefore easier to “understand and market” route patterns and quicker journey times. These new networks have been well received by local authorities who are keen to work with us to foster growth; we also believe they are great news for customers.
Across the company, 23 individual services plus three networks, will all be heavily marketed, highlighting the aspect of the service that has been improved. The early results of the first marketing campaign in Merseyside have been encouraging. The much-improved mobile ticket app has been introduced and has been well received. The UK Bus app is also continuing to see sky-high sales. Growth is being encouraged through smartcard initiatives across the UK and the company is also looking at new ways of paying for bus travel. The company’s Commercial Data Warehouse is now live, making it much easier to make sound commercial decisions.
Route control in Southend. The amount of lost mileage meant that change was needed. The company took information from staff and customer surveys and new route managers have been introduced to make operations more effective. Other operating companies may benefit from this back-to-basics approach.
The company has identified and rejuvenated a volunteer programme, which has lowered costs. By working with other sectors and with improved training, the company has already saved a considerable amount of money, transferring some journeys to volunteer-led ones.
ARRIVA NORTH EAST/ YORKSHIRE MAX
Introduction of the MAX brand, a new concept in bus travel, which is helping to refresh and grow service. This can be replicated across other routes and networks.
ARRIVA NORTH EAST
Arriva North East came up with creative solutions when the local council cut funding for student travel. The company worked with councils and local colleges to make them the most viable travel option.
Creative solutions
ARRIVA LONDON Spending review
Spending has been reviewed across the company and its approach was to come up with actions for managers to cut costs and make spending more transparent. This was useful across the business.
Annual event promotes learning and development in the workplace
n Learning at Work Week is an annual awareness campaign organised by the Campaign for Learning since 1999. Learning at Work Week aims to put the spotlight on the importance and benefits of learning and development. It promotes an inclusive approach and supports opportunities to learn for all employees.
ARRIVA UK Bus was just one of more than 6,000 workplaces across the UK to take part in this year’s Learning at Work Week. Held from May 18-24, the national event takes place annually across the country. “The Learning at Work Week is an opportunity to identify what is going on in the business in terms of learning and development,” said head of leadership and management development Carl Rayner. “From an employee engagement point of view, training and development goes on all the time in the workplace, it is just often people are not aware of it.” The week focused on the many different ways of learning available across the business,
demonstrating just how much goes on to help employees develop. “For us, though, it was not just about flooding the week with learning and development, it was more about highlighting that it is a constant presence and something that we do all the time,” added Carl. “If you are interested in learning or developing at work, your first port of call should be your line manager or your HR manager.” Assistant finance manager for shared services Shaun Kemp is a real advocate of learning and development. He said: “Developing my skills further is something that I have always sought to do in
every place I have worked, including Arriva. “Learning and development is something that we have had a real focus on in the last year in my department and we have had four different training courses in that time, most recently, a course called Coaching for Better Performance. “The idea behind it is to find new ways and better ways of working using the resources that we have. The opportunities to further learn and develop are there and different courses can be organised by the company. I think it is a very good thing for the business.” Pictured right: The HR team working on ERP Transformation during learning week.
6 June 2015 Arriva Now!
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Boost your health with pedal Need help with childcare costs? power... EMPLOYEES are now able to get childcare vouchers through Arriva’s employee benefits site, The Village. Vouchers can be accessed through the nursery in The Village for a variety of childcare uses. The vouchers can save parents up to £1,000 a year on childcare and can be used for children up to 15 years old. They can be used to pay for a childminder, a nanny, au pair, nursery or playgroup, as long as they are Ofsted-registered. Vouchers can also be used for tuition or an after-school club, again as long as the institution or tutor is registered with Ofsted. Visit The Village or your local family information service for more information.
DO you want an opportunity to get fit and receive a new bike to boot? From June 26 for four weeks, the Cycle2Work scheme is returning to Arriva UK Bus for the fourth year running. The scheme is run through Halfords and has gone from strength to strength since its inception. “Employees across the business can apply for £1,000 for a new bike and cycling safety equipment,” said HR projects manager Gil Taylor. “This will be the fourth year we have run the scheme and it has grown bigger and bigger every single year. “There are so many health benefits to cycling it is no wonder so many people are getting on board.” Just some of the benefits of cycling are: n weight loss n increased cardiovascular fitness n improved joint mobility n increased flexibility and muscle strength
n For Arriva London, please visit www.rewardsroute.co.uk
n improved posture and co-ordination n strengthened bones n prevention or management of disease To apply for this year’s Cycle2Work scheme, simply go to the employee benefits site, The Village, and visit the bike shop. “If you haven’t registered for The Village as yet or are not actively using it, speak to your payroll manager to ensure you can get access,” added Gil.
“We would also encourage employees to visit our Small Steps Facebook page for all things cycling.” Once you have received your bike, why not upload a picture on Facebook and show off your new wheels? Or if you have a favourite bike ride or a recommendation, share it with your friends and colleagues. Visit www.facebook.com/groups/ arrivasmallsteps/ to join in the fun.
WIN holiday vouchers worth £500! YOU could be the winner of Thompson and First Choice holiday vouchers worth £500 in our exciting June competition. The vouchers can be used to visit a destination of your choice. A city break or a relaxing family holiday are just two of the endless possibilities. To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, simply find the missing
countries from these two wellknown film titles. n 1. Passage to ________ n 2. From ________ with Love Send your completed entry form to Arriva Now!, Ruxley Communications, 81 High Street, Surrey, KT12 1DN. Alternatively, email your answers to arrivanow@ruxley. co.uk.
Entry form (cut out and post to above address)
Entries from the same family, including children’s entries, can be sent in the same envelope. Entry is limited to one per person. The first entry drawn from the hat on August 7, 2015, will win the prize, which is subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.
Kids’ corner
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Prize competition – June 2015 Answer 1.....................................................................................................
Beach holiday or city break ... the choice is yours.
Entry form (cut out and post to address, right)
Kids’ competition
June 2015
Find the books and win £50!
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Competition winners CONGRATULATIONS to the winner of our March competition, Graham Bowe, who works at Stockton depot in Arriva North East. Graham has won £500 worth of holiday vouchers. n Well done to the following regional runners-up, who have all won Argos gift cards: Susan Aldred, Derby, Arriva Midlands; Steve Cupitt, Wakefield, Arriva Yorkshire; Phil Gutsell, Tunbridge Wells, Arriva
Southern Counties; Maxine Hayes, Doxford, Arriva North East; Vinny Jones, St Helens, Arriva North West; Debbie Perry, Norwood, Arriva London; Chris Taylor, Stevenage, Arriva the Shires; Ian Turner, Rhyl, Arriva Buses Wales. n Stan Kilburn, aged 12, whose granddad, Mick Johnson, works at Dewsbury depot in Arriva Yorkshire, wins our children’s competition. He will receive a cheque for £50.
Name ...........................................................Age............................ Address ........................................................................................ Guardian ...........................................Work place............................
BOOKS are an important part of children’s lives, capturing their imaginations down the generations. Hidden in the grid are nine famous authors who have penned some of the most famous children’s novels ever written. Find them and you could be in with a chance of winning £50. Once you have found the nine names in the grid, send your completed entry form to Arriva Now!, Ruxley Communications, 81 High Street, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 1DN. The first entry drawn from the hat on August 7, 2015, will win the prize. The authors to find are: JM Barrie, Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, CS Lewis, AA Milne, JK Rowling, Dr Seuss, JRR Tolkien, Mark Twain.
Arriva Now! June 2015 7
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GOING FOR GOLD
£750,000 investment for luxury park & ride service n Front page picture story
Some of the Dartford team nominated for a Best Vehicle Care award.
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HE engineering team at Dartford is aiming to scoop an industry ‘Oscar’ at the London Bus Awards in June. This is the first time that TfL has nominated the depot for a Best Vehicle Care award. Its sister depot at Grays was nominated in 2009. Seven garages will compete for the prestigious award, which will be announced following a ceremony at Riverbank Park Plaza in Vauxhall on June 25. Nominations are only bestowed upon
those who make a significant showing in a selection of TfL tests, FTA checks, lost mileage and mystery traveller surveys. “Our success is all down to the efforts of the individuals who make up our team,” said engineering manager Kevin Taylor. “I’ve only been in the position a couple of years, but we’ve built upon strong foundations left by past leadership and we’ve recently made a massive investment in training and up-skilling engineers – the staff are fantastic.”
When asked who he wants to thank, Kevin said: “I’m not sure really…it’s like the Oscars in that you will always miss someone out. I’d like to thank all the team at the depot for making the nomination a reality and for the continued support from all of the Southern Counties directors. Special mentions to engineering director Tony Ward, chief engineer Andy Henry and general manager Graham Wykes. To win would be great, but just to be nominated is recognition enough.”
Supporting Southend
Mayor of Southend Councillor Christopher Walker, left, and local MP Sir David Amess unveil the Alternative City of Culture branding.
SOUTHEND depot is putting community first by championing its local area, as well as providing assistance to those who seek help in times of need. n In March, the depot endorsed Southend’s bid to become the 2017 Alternative City of Culture by naming one of its buses after the initiative. The special branding was unveiled in Leigh-on-Sea on March 20 by the Mayor of Southend, Councillor Christopher Walker, and local MP Sir David Amess. Arriva marketing manager Richard Lewis said of the special branding: “I’m very pleased that we are supporting this exciting initiative that will bring even more visitors to Southend.” The bus will be seen on route 1, which links Shoeburyness, Southchurch,
Southend, Westcliff, Leigh, Hadleigh and Rayleigh. n Supporting the community on a second front, the depot has also dedicated an Olympian bus to the Southend SOS Bus Project – as a safe haven for those who require assistance, or find themselves in distress on a Friday or Saturday night. The bus is manned by firstaiders, voluntary workers and alcohol, drug and abuse advisers. The SOS Bus Project has been supported by Arriva for the past nine years and providing a newer bus will enable the company to carry on its valuable work for many years to come. Project manager John Bastin said: “I can’t say a big enough thank-you to Arriva for the bus, and for the ongoing support given by its Southend depot staff.”
NETWORK Colchester is now operating a brand new park and ride service complete with new vehicles. The five-bus operation began running on April 13 and has a special black livery. The new vehicles represent an investment of more than £750,000 by Arriva Southern Counties. The service is being run on behalf of Essex County Council with its own team of eight drivers. “This represents a nice bit of work for Network Colchester and has provided an uplift for the depot,” said area operations manager Tony Harwood. “When Arriva took over the depot from TGM, the staff were, of course, slightly suspicious of what was going to happen.
Statement “This investment shows that the company is interested in Network Colchester and wants to see it do well. It has made a statement that we do mean business and we do want to make our mark in Colchester.” The new buses are fitted with air-conditioning, next-stop screens onboard and e leather seats which offer additional space. The park and ride service travels from a new facility alongside junction 28 of the A12 and it is hoped that it will help relieve congestion in and around Colchester town centre. “We have to work together to show Essex County Council that we can do a good job on the park and ride service,” added Tony. “If we make a real success of it, this will bode well in terms of new contracts in the future.”
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Bus fan Brennan helps M.A.D. evening out at depot Aenjoyed by all... Youngster enjoys his work experience
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HERE’S a new arrival at Colchester, and he has passion to spare. The latest addition to the team is bus fan Brennan Harding, pictured right, who is currently undertaking a three-month work experience placement at the depot. The enthusiastic 16-year-old began his placement on March 20 and works in the office from 9am to 1pm every Friday, under the guidance of administration officer Adele Barnett and duty manager Peter Madden. “Brennan is really keen on the work and is enjoying the opportunity to work in the industry as a part of the day-to-day business,” said Adele. “Being such a bus enthusiast, its almost a
struggle to get him to leave at the end of the day! It’s lovely to see someone with such passion.” Brennan, a pupil at Langham Oaks School, spent his first week getting the feel of the depot and will be assisting until June 26. Brennan said: “I’ve loved buses since I don’t know when, so I’m really enjoying it here. There’s a great atmosphere and although there’s lots of work, it’s more relaxed than other jobs I’ve done.” The placement fortunately coincided with the development of the brand new Colchester park and ride, which gave him the opportunity to showcase his computer skills by assisting with destination blinds, seeing buses in and bus checks.
CONGRATULATIONS to all those who enjoyed success at this year’s M.A.D. awards! The third annual Made A Difference awards were held in the beautiful surroundings of Shakespeare’s beloved Stratford-upon-Avon on March 26 for colleagues across the business. Head of employee engagement and benefits Malcolm Cotterell hosted the event and managing director of Arriva UK Bus Kevin O’Connor gave a short speech. Regional marketing assistant Craig Taylor was highly commended in the Continually M.A.D. category. He is a
real asset and goes far beyond what is expected of him on a daily basis. Southend driver Jackie Davidson and Dartford route manager Beatrice Jefferies received the same accolade in the Our Unsung Hero category. Jackie has received numerous commendations for her outstanding customer service and loves her job, while Beatrice is always enthusiastic and keen to help, assisting drivers and engineers to maintain service delivery. Also shortlisted was Neville Watson (Our Unsung Hero) and Dennis Vickers (M.A.D. Behind the Wheel).
Drivers swap four wheels for two feet!
FIVE Southend drivers are limbering up for an epic walk this July. They have signed up for the London to Southend 100km trek in aid of The British Heart Foundation. Steve Day and Rachel French will leave Fulham Palace on the morning of July 11. They will then
meet up with Ann Saunders, Kevin O’Rilley and Janet Roy at the 50km mark, before walking through the night to end their mammoth trek at Southend pier on July 12. There is still time to donate, so dig deep for this wonderful cause.
Danny’s cycle challenge for charity TUNBRIDGE Wells’ Danny Powell is taking up the fight against motor neurone disease by completing an epic physical challenge. He is planning on cycling 128 miles through the Hampshire countryside, tackling nine major hills with around 6,400ft of climbing in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Association on July 12. Three years ago, Danny was introduced to his girlfriend’s grandmother, Eileen, and they struck up an instant rapport. Danny said: “This lady really was one of a kind, an old East End girl with real character and a heart of gold. Eileen, like the rest of the family,
welcomed me with open arms and in a very short space of time we became close.” Not long after meeting Eileen, she was diagnosed with the disease and over time she lost her ability to walk, speak and had to be fed through a tube. Unfortunately, Eileen passed away on May 31 but not before seeing newborn greatgrandaughter, Isla, in April. There is still time to donate to this great cause. Visit www.justgiving.com/Danny-Powell9 to sponsor online or text EWDP50 with your amount to 70070.
Steve bows out after 43 years! GILLINGHAM waves a fond farewell this month to driver Steve Howlett after an incredible 43 years in the bus industry. “It’s just a temporary role,” said Steve jokingly. “I started off working with London Transport originally, then moved to the Medway towns in 1987, initially working at the Maidstone & District Luton depot in Chatham. “Following its closure in 1994, I moved to the Gillingham depot and have been here ever since. The industry has changed a lot since the old days. Like any role, it has its ups and downs,
but I can see how changes have been good for the company. “Two perks have been the flexibility of the job and the people. My family life was worked around the job, which suited us well, and I’ve known some great people in the last 43 years. I’d like to thank all the bosses I’ve worked under – they’ve been decent across the depots and I’m thankful for that.” Steve will be spending a lot of his time looking after his 13 grandchildren, keeping his garden in check, travelling and helping with his wife’s art and crafts.
Arriva Now! is a quarterly publication. Look out for the next issue in September 2015! Written and designed by Ruxley Communications, 81 High Street, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey KT12 1DN. Tel: 01932 243400. Printed on paper produced from a sustainable source.