Working in partnership

Some aspects of delivering a good transport service are beyond our control – such as traffic delays and congestion.

However, local authorities can alleviate these problems, through measures such as giving road priority to buses and improving bus stops. We at Arriva can provide more accessible vehicles and increase service frequency. Working together, we can raise service standards and attract more passengers. Here are some ways in which we are doing so across the group:

Italy

• We work in partnership with local politicians to provide the best transport system for passengers. All our Italian businesses regularly meet the transport department to keep them up to speed with our plans, and find out how we can help them.
• In Cremona, we have installed a system that allows us to track vehicles, which is integrated with the management of traffic lights, giving priority to bus users.

The Netherlands

• In our train services, we work with provincial governments and railway engineering companies to ensure we deliver the expected 65 per cent growth in services, having been granted a concession to operate services until 2020.

Portugal

• Arriva Portugal is currently working with Universidade do Minho on the development of a new driving simulator that can be used to help assess potential or new drivers and provide enhanced training to existing drivers on driving techniques that can improve safety and fuel efficiency in the future.

Scandinavia

• Working with several regional passenger transportation authorities we have become the first operator in Scandinavia to have customer satisfaction measures included in our contracts in both Sweden and Denmark at our own suggestion.

The UK

• Working closely with Transport for London, Arriva has become one of the capital's leading bus operators. An incredible 30 million journeys are made every day in the city – a figure that will grow in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics.
• Fastrack, the award-winning bus rapid transit system in North Kent in the UK is operated by Arriva on behalf of Kent County Council and Kent Thameside. It is being delivered through one of the best examples of a public/private sector partnership. Since its launch the system has carried more than three million passengers and is the leading UK example of an innovative bus rapid transit system that can attract people from the car.
• In Leicester, we continue to work with the County and City Council in the development of a real-time passenger information system, 'star trak'. Total investment in the system, from bus equipment to intelligent traffic signal priority and depot equipment, is more than £6 million. We have also worked with Derby City Council to introduce the system to a number of routes in the city.
• Arriva Trains Wales works closely with the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG), Department for Transport (DfT), Network Rail, local authorities and transport consortia to obtain funding for projects that deliver improvements for our customers. An initial franchise commitment to invest £400,000 in five station car parks has long since been overtaken with our total investment now running at more than £20 million
• Arriva has developed a system known as EcoManager together with 21st Century Technology which, combined with driver training, is helping our drivers to improve fuel efficiency. The system includes a real-time display to prompt the driving techniques covered in the training.

Working with passengers

We regularly consult our customers to find out what they want from our services.

• Denmark, Italy and the Netherlands: Independent surveys and customer focus groups help us understand what customers think of our buses and trains.
• In the most recent survey of almost 20,000 UK bus passengers, the customer satisfaction level was maintained with 91 per cent of Arriva passengers satisfied with our service.

Working with our industry

As a member of the International Association of Public Transport, Arriva has joined transport operators, authorities and manufacturers across Europe in one of the largest surface transport research and development projects ever started by the European Union.

The ‘European Bus System of the Future (EBSF)’ project aims to speed up the modernisation of buses just like the modern urban tramway or the high-speed train.

Understanding accessibility issues

We work with a number of groups who can help us better meet the needs of users with disabilities.

• The UK: We seek to work with relevant organisations to improve our service to customers; for example, we have worked with the Royal National Institute for the Blind on issues relating to bus design and disability awareness training for drivers.
• Italy: SAF, in collaboration with the Province of Udine and the Municipality of Udine, has introduced an infrared sign system for the transmission of arrival, destination, timetable, next bus stop, information for visually impaired people.
• UK Trains: Our rail franchises operate support services to help those who need assistance, for mobility or other reasons, in getting on and off trains, wherever they are travelling.
• Denmark: We consulted with the Danish Centre for Accessibility on the design of 29 new trains.