No.10 • June 2011
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
STAFF SURVEY SEES HUGE RESPONSE FROM EMPLOYEES
HAVE YOUR SAY – THE RESULTS... T
HE April 2011 employee survey, the first of its kind and an important part of a wider communications review, has provided a clear picture of employees’ views and opinions on a range of topics right across the company. More than 1,500 employees participated in the survey, which examined a number of areas including how GoAhead communicates with its employees and how this can be improved in a way that is useful and meaningful for everyone.
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Feedback received highlighted some common areas of concern among employees, including the need for better communication of company plans and performance at local level, wider recognition for staff who go the extra mile and suggestions about how to improve local management style. Employees also commented on those areas where they thought the company was doing well and how this could be improved even further. Many employees want more opportunities to give feedback to the company and they want easier access to information about pay and conditions at their workplace. Managing director, John Trayner said: “Employees are our
most important asset and their feedback is vital in shaping our future success in what we do and how we work. “The survey has allowed important feedback to be obtained in an open and honest way and it made sure that everyone could have their say. “I want to thank all those employees who took time to respond to the survey and shared their views with us.” As part of the wider ranging communications review, tailored action plans are now being developed to address the key findings of the survey. These will include setting up a series of focus groups. Watch out for more information about these developments at your workplace.
A SMART METER See back page
OUR OLYMPIC CHALLENGE: p2
A SHARED PASSION FOR FLYBALL: p4
STOPPING A THIEF IN HIS TRACKS: p6
INSIDE: FLYING START FOR NEW ROUTES AFTER TENDER WINS p5
Two heads are better than one
Clocking in clocks out
AN EXCHANGE of ideas and a chance to learn more about the business… That’s the aim of the new Pre Promotion Courses (PPC) that Go-Ahead London will be running this summer. Forty drivers have now been short-listed from a total of 80 applicants. The sessions will run for seven weeks on Tuesday evenings. This year the courses are set to be more interactive, with drivers given the opportunity to gain some practical experience on the road or in the garage.
A NEW system is to be introduced at Go-Ahead London, which will improve the clocking in and out procedure for engineers. Currently engineers place their clock card into a machine at their location on arrival at the garage and on departure. In the future, every member of the engineering team will be given his or her own individual card, which will be swiped into a new computer. Not only will the computer run much quicker than the current machine, but it will also help the workshop supervisor to allocate work and plan schedules. The new software, called Grampian, will also link in to the company’s pay system. New Cross will be the first garage to switch to the Grampian software – probably within the next month. Grampian will then be rolled out to the company’s other garages in the coming months.
Success Managing director John Trayner will open the course and will present a potted history of Go-Ahead, its current structure and its required direction for success. Staff will then spend time learning about a range of topics including the financial side of the business (the cost of accidents and incidents, for example), and the importance of VOSA. General manager service performance Gill Tynan said: “This is our chance to listen to what drivers have to say and answer some of their questions. It’s also an opportunity to tap into the company’s pool of talent and help people further their careers with Go-Ahead London.”
Go-Ahead’s Olympic challenge
AN EXCITING opportunity is opening up for GoAhead London employees as the company has won a contract to provide transport in the capital during the Olympics next year. In partnership with Go South Coast, the company will also be managing the transportation of people to and from the Olympic sailing events in Weymouth. As a result, around 150 volunteer drivers will be required to help run these operations in the summer of 2012. Commercial manager Colin Farrant said: “Following a competitive tender process, we are delighted to have been asked by The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to provide vehicles and drivers. “This is a major contract for us and it’s a great chance for our employees to be part of an amazing sporting event. “Drivers will be transporting members of the Olympic Family to and from the various venues in London and their hotels. We have put up notices in the garages inviting drivers to come forward for accreditation. “Anyone wishing to volunteer for this work will have to undertake several security checks, but we hope once these have been completed our drivers will be working on a very prestigious project.”
Images of Olympic site and Olympic stadium on cover courtesy of London 2012. 2
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Pedal power safety A CLEAR safety message has been issued to cyclists after employees from Peckham were involved in a special cycle initiative.
The project also involved a representative from TfL and a number of police officers from the Met Police’s cycle task force team. To help raise awareness of potential accidents and keep cyclists safe around buses and other road users, a bus was taken to a lay-by close to Southwark tube station.
Violated Police officers positioned themselves at nearby junctions to stop cyclists who jumped red lights or violated traffic laws in other ways. Within just a few hours a total of 16 offences were recorded and a motorcycle with no insurance was seized. Cyclists – some 97 people took part – were invited to sit in the cab of the bus while one of the police officers cycled up the nearside of the cab to show them a driver’s perspective.
Useful The event was organised by Sam Hannigan at Waterloo, who was joined on the day
by union rep Ray Lewis, mentor driver Steve Rowland and engineering clerk Diane James. Sam said: “I thought the exercise proved extremely useful. We were keen to open the cyclists’ eyes and explain to them that while our drivers are very well trained to deal with cyclists, very little is done to advise cyclists how to use the roads safely. “Our aim was to remind them to use the road sensibly and be aware of the challenges facing other road users,” said Sam.
Awareness Steve Rowland, who has worked in the bus industry for 34 years, said: “I think it was a worthwhile exercise and helped to raise awareness of cycle safety. “It was an eye-opening experience and many cyclists, who had jumped red lights or violated traffic laws in other ways, took the option of undertaking a five-minute course with the police, rather than face a £30 fixed penalty!”
Voicing your concerns over VOSA inspections SPECIAL seminars are being run across the company to help remind employees how to liaise with officials from the Vehicle Operator Services Agency (VOSA). During the seminars, representatives from VOSA will be visiting Go-Ahead London’s garages to speak to staff and explain what it is they are looking for during a vehicle inspection and the procedures they follow. The seminar will then open up into a discussion so that employees can ask questions.
a PG35 will be issued. If no defect is found, the driver can carry on with the service and should hand the paperwork in on returning to the garage. If a prohibition is given, a PG9 will be issued and the driver should contact the engineers at the garage and wait for instructions.
Co-operate
Responsible
Public service vehicles are liable to inspection at any time by VOSA examiners and if an official introduces himself and says he wishes to inspect the vehicle the driver must co-operate. Once an examiner has completed an inspection, the driver should expect to receive paperwork to say the vehicle has been inspected, even if no defects have been found
Chief engineer Richard Harrington said: “It’s important that drivers understand that they are responsible for the vehicle they are driving. First use inspection checks are particularly important and, when it’s safe to do so and time permits, a further inspection of their bus should be carried out at every terminus to ensure the bus is safe for the return journey.” BusTalk l June 2011
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All aboard for Stockwell garage
In our Face 2 Face column, we chat to Ramil Heydarov, a garage administrator and CCTV Analyst at Putney, who has worked for the company for three years. We ask Ramil 10 lighthearted questions. Q: What is your favourite city? A: London (definitely – don’t ask why) Q: Which luxury item would you most like to own? A: A Television Network. (FOX Broadcasting Company to be more precise). Q: If you could swap roles for a day with someone famous, who would you be? A: Jared Leto. The lead vocalist for the American rock band “30 Seconds to Mars.” Q: What or who makes you happy? A: My girlfriend Mandy and our three-year-old son Joshua. Q: How would your friends describe you? A: Quiet, generous and determined. Q: What was your favourite subject at school? A: Geography. Q: Who is your all time favorite composer and why? A: Hans Zimmer. For outstanding contribution to film industry with his award winning scores. Q: What’s the first thing you do when you get home from work? A: I log on to Twitter. (Follow me!). Q: What is your favourite pastime? A: Days out with the family. Q: What is your most treasured memory? A: My son being born. 4
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ARCHITECTURAL education charity, Our Hut, has been awarded a grant of £49,400 to run a programme of events focussing on the heritage of Stockwell garage. The events, taking place over the next 18 months, will coincide with the garage’s 60th anniversary and the 2012 Olympics. Stockwell garage has featured prominently in European books on architecture and engineering yet is widely ignored by Londoners. When it was built in 1952, the Grade II listed building boasted the largest unsupported area under one roof in Europe. The ‘All Aboard Stockwell’ project will be run in conjunction with Go-Ahead London, the London Transport Museum, the Twentieth Century Society, the Lambeth City Learning Centre and the Stockwell Partnership. The event aims to involve as broad a section of the community
as possible and will culminate in a final showcase exhibiting activities run throughout the project. As well as guided tours of the garage, there will also be bus tours and a permanent archive of oral histories held at the London Transport Museum.
Volunteers are also needed to work on the project. They will be trained in how to collect oral histories, develop a website, assist in workshops and lead and coordinate a bus tour. If you are interested, email ourhut@hotmail. com for more information.
to be employed at a country annex of Battersea Dogs Home) and has had Jack as a pet for four years. “Jack has loads of energy and needs quite a lot of stimulation so this sport is perfect for him. He really seems to thrive on the competition. He’s generally quite a nervous dog, but when he takes part in flyball he turns into a completely different dog! Both of us enjoy the hobby and I’ve met lots of friendly, sociable people through the association,” said Helen. Having recently set up her own
team with a group of friends, Helen hopes that once the dogs are established they will go on to win a number of events. “It takes a while for the dogs to learn the sport, but we’ve already taken third place in one of the races so we’re hoping we’ll have a successful season,” added Helen.
Helen and Jack aim for the top A FREE date in the diary between May and September is a very rare thing for Waterside Way driver Helen Welch… That’s because the majority of her weekends are taken up with flyball competitions. Helen and her dog Jack, who is a Collie cross, belong to a team that regularly competes in relay races organised by the British Flyball Association. The aim of flyball is for the team of four dogs to complete a course that consists of hurdles and a spring-loaded box that releases a tennis ball when the dog steps onto it. Once the dog has the ball it then has to jump back over the hurdles with the ball to the finish line. The hurdles are fitted with sensors so if the dog touches the hurdle or drops the ball, the team is subject to penalties.
Working with animals Helen has always enjoyed working with animals (she used
TENDER WINS ADD THREE NEW ROUTES TO OUR SERVICE
New route for New Cross A BRAND new route is to join the fold at New Cross garage. Route 129 has been won from Abellio following a competitive tendering process and was due to begin on 4 June (as Bus Talk was going to press). The contract is for a minimum
of five years with a potential for a two-year extension if standards are met and exceeded. The service runs from Greenwich town centre to North Greenwich station seven days a week. The peak vehicle requirement is four and buses used will be
refurbished single decks. General manager Trevor Johnson said: “It’s always welcome news to gain additional work. New Cross garage lost two routes earlier in the year so we’re pleased to have won the 129 service.”
THE 337 service has got off to a flying start at Stockwell garage after returning from an absence of over 10 years. As well as the service moving to Go-Ahead, 16 drivers from Arriva, the previous operator, have also relocated to Stockwell. The service, which runs from Richmond to Battersea, has been operated smoothly ever since it
started on May 28 and is a particular asset to Go-Ahead London because of the route’s popularity. Colin Opher, general manager at Stockwell garage, is pleased at how well the new drivers have settled in and thinks they will be part of the
furniture in no time. “It’s always been quite a well known route so it is nice to have it back with us,” said Colin. “I hope we have also made the new drivers feel as welcome as possible. They are still getting used to their new surroundings and getting themselves acquainted with everyone. “I am pleased to say they are settling in very well so far.” Colin was also quick to praise his colleagues at the garage who made taking on the route such an easy process. “I thought it might be quite hard to get everything sorted out at first, but it actually went extremely smoothly,” said Colin. “I feel a massive thank you must be said to everyone at the garage for making this whole process go as well as it did.”
17 new buses for Route 493 Route 493 has been won by London General following competitive tender. The Tooting to Richmond service was previously operated by London United, but will transfer to Waterside Way garage under the new contract, which will start on March 31, 2012. Seventeen new single-deck buses will be ordered for the new contract, which is 59 drivers’ worth of work.
Route back by popular demand
Driver’s view: Godfrey Ayella,
former Arriva driver
“If I’m honest, I did not find the change all that difficult – it has been a very smooth process. “Everyone at the garage has done a great job of making me feel welcome and have helped me with anything I may have needed. “Of course it takes a bit of time to adjust, but I have a positive attitude and I am enjoying working at Stockwell.” BusTalk l June 2011
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DRIVER’S COURAGE OF CONVICTION PREVENTS A CRIME
To catch a thief! A PUTNEY driver has been praised for his swift actions when he stopped a thief from stealing money from an elderly customer. Paul Davey was driving route 22 from Munster Road, Fulham, to Piccadilly when he noticed a man who had just boarded his bus behaving suspiciously. The man in question seemed desperate to sit next to an elderly lady despite there being many empty seats on the bus. Once there, he started to pick up coins off the floor, which had apparently fallen out of the lady’s handbag, and gave them back to her.
Innocence At a later stop Paul left his cab and told the man to give the lady her money back, with the thief proclaiming his innocence before leaving the bus. Despite several passengers supporting the man’s claims Paul persevered and, as another customer attested, the man had taken £80 only to replace it when Paul intervened. “It’s something I have never seen before and I certainly don’t want to see it again,” said Paul.
“The young man being so desperate to sit next to the elderly lady initially caught my eye and I knew what I was seeing was not normal. “I was going on holiday the next day and I’m just glad I did something as I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed my holiday much knowing I could have done more.”
Praise Paul has also received high praise from colleagues for his courageous actions. “Some people I have spoken to since said they would not have even got out of their cab,” he said. “My colleagues have all congratulated me too which made me feel quite proud of what I did.” One of the customers on the bus at the time also wrote to say how impressed they were with Paul’s actions. “In this day and age I find it very unusual for a young man to defend a vulnerable old lady,” said Nadia Senussi. “Initially I was quite sceptical of his claims, but now I really do think I owe him an apology!”
Charity will be the winner at football tournament SOCCER STARS will have the chance to shine this September as they line up for Scott Horney’s latest charity football tournament. The event, which will take place on Saturday September 17 at Goals Soccer Centre in Sutton, is in aid of The Neonatal Unit at St George’s Hospital as well as Macmillan nurses. The competition is open to five-a-side teams from across Go-Ahead’s garages and three teams will be coming all the way from BadenBaden in Germany as guests of honour. Scott is hoping that a
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number of Go-Ahead London’s garages will field teams, as it will be a chance to build camaraderie across the company. “We’ve raised nearly £15,000 for charity over the years and I’d love to boost that total even further in 2011. “The cost per player will be £10 and all proceeds will go to our two chosen charities. “My two daughters were both born prematurely so The Neonatal Unit at St George’s Hospital is very close to my heart. A number of colleagues have also died from cancer so the donations to Macmillan nurses are equally important,” said Scott. If you’d like to enter a five-a-side team into the tournament, please contact Scott on 07989 109 169 or e-mail him on horneyboy@sky.com. Please inform Scott by August 16.
Controllers welcome refresher course A TWO-DAY course has been taking place for existing controllers and is providing additional training on service control. As well as helping to raise awareness of electronic service control, the course is covering a range of topics including electronic QSIs and VOSA inspections. Staff are also being made aware of the procedures to follow after an accident or incident involving one of the company’s vehicles. CPC trainer Alan Austen, assistant road manager Debbie Tyson, who is based at Camberwell, and risk and safety manager Andrew Smith have been providing the instruction at Peckham. Alan Robson has been training on service control using iBus. The course is expected to run until the end of June. Gill Tynan, who is general manager service quality, said: “This course is an opportunity to keep refreshing controllers’ knowledge and so far it has been very well received. “We’ve had some really positive feedback from the controllers who have already undertaken the training.”
New computer software to improve efficiency A NEW, comprehensive maintenance system called Equinox is going to be phased in at Go-Ahead London. The new computer based system is going to help enhance service planning and bring greater efficiencies across the business. One of the main benefits will be a reduction in paperwork. At the moment, engineers are required to record a job manually with these details having to be replicated on two or three times.
The introduction of Equinox will allow people to record the data, such as a fault, with one single entry on the computer. The first phase of the introduction programme will commence in June and all staff who will be using the system will receive special training. Chief engineer Richard Harrington said: “We hope the software will help drive efficiencies and lead to improved ways of working. It will provide accurate vehicle life costs and a more accurate guide to new vehicle purchases.”
Derek’s date with the Queen
IT’S GOING to be a busy year for fundraiser Derek Dale, but one date is firmly fixed in his diary – tea with the Queen! Derek, who is a driver at Merton, has been invited to the Queen’s Garden Party on July 12. His royal date is in recognition of the 40 years he has dedicated to charity work. In his spare time, Derek is a Freemason and he’s in charge of coordinating the charity effort for the whole of Surrey. His own Lodge is in Surbiton.
Rewarding “Last year we raised £23,000 for Help for Heroes and we’ve also just distributed another £47,000 to a number of local charities,” said Derek. “It’s very rewarding being able to help other people and I think
I’ve probably collected at least £250,000 over the years.” After receiving a Certificate of Distinguished Service for his charity work by the Duke of Kent last year, Derek has now been anonymously recommended to attend Buckingham Palace.
Recognised “It was such an honour to receive the letter from the First Lord Lieutenant of Westminster. “It’s nice to be recognised and I’m hoping I will get the chance to meet the Queen in person. I might even ask her what letters I could have behind my name! “My partner Barbara is really looking forward to the event, too,” added Derek, who has worked for the company for seven years.
COMMENDATIONS BLUE TRIANGLE n MISS Webster has written to thank Mark Downton who she believes may have saved a child’s life after his quick thinking when a toddler ran out in to the middle of a busy street. Mark alerted the child’s parents by hooting and slowing down until he was retrieved. n AN EXTREMELY impressed customer called to thank Tim Murphy for his “excellent driving” when he avoided a near-accident with a camper van. CAMBERWELL n A CUSTOMER has described Paula Brailey as “very considerate” after helping customers successfully board her bus. n A GRATEFUL customer has thanked Anthony Gord for waiting for a customer who was running to catch his bus. n DRIVER Bridget Belazereg has been thanked by Mrs Hemingway who was “very impressed by everything he did”. n MR BROOK has described John East as “a credit to the company” who “deserves praise” for keeping passengers informed during a large traffic jam around Elephant and Castle. MERTON n AN IMPRESSED Mrs Evans has written to thank Loxley Smith for his “reassuring” and “helpful” attitude when their bus was stopped due to police road closures. NEW CROSS n DRIVER Yacina Addala has been commended for her “warm and friendly” manner when assisting a customer in planning their route on her bus. n MR Hamilton has written to thank Olufemi Adedibu. Olufemi waited for the disabled customer and his two therapists when they were having trouble boarding his bus. Mr Hamilton asked for the driver to “be commended for providing good customer service”. PECKHAM n A COMPLIMENT has been sent to Gueu Made from Ms Smith for the smooth journey and helpful information she experienced and the helpful information provided by Gueu. PUTNEY n MRS E Baranska has expressed her gratitude to Noel Howard for “his great behaviour” in returning her lost mobile phone. n MR Desai has sent a compliment to Dino Louise. When Mr Desai left his laptop on Dino’s bus, Mr Desai rushed back to the stop to find Dino still waiting for him to return the laptop. STOCKWELL n AN EXTREMELY relieved customer has commended Danny Carty and Felix Boakye for assisting her “beyond the call of duty”. Mrs Edwards left a bag containing important belongings on a Route 37 bus. Felix, who was also driving a bus on the same route aided her by contacting Danny and arranging for the bag to be returned to her later that day. n A GRATEFUL customer has described her journey with Noel Staples as like being “on a tour bus” and praised Noel’s “excellent and exceptional” service. n AN IMPRESSED Mr Hardy has written to express his gratitude to Jonathan Best for his “exceptionally high level of skill” in the face of “pushy black cabs” and “drivers carrying out unsafe manoeuvres”. SUTTON n A DELIGHTED customer has written to thank Alan Buys for his excellent customer service. Mr Ahmed was impressed not only by Alan’s “polite, welcoming and friendly attitude” but also his “efficient driving”. n A CUSTOMER has described Allen Elliott as “considerate” and “an excellent driver” for his driving on a busy road surrounded by multiple cyclists. BusTalk l June 2011
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WIN
A SMART METER AND SAVE MONEY!
IF YOU like the idea of saving money and conserving energy in your home then a smart meter could be just what you’re looking for. The sophisticated device allows you to see how much energy you’re using. The good news is that the company has 20 smart meters to give away to employees. To stand a chance of winning one of them...
Just answer the following question correctly: How much fuel does Go-Ahead London use per year? A: 100,000 gallons (455,000 litres) B: 1.5 million gallons (6.82 million litres) C: 5.5 million gallons (25 million litres) Simply email your response to competition@ruxley.co.uk or telephone Ruxley Communications on 01932 243400 to give your answer. The first 20 correct entries drawn out of the editor’s ‘hat’ will win a smart meter.
Fun for all the family... By Mostafa Zaadane
YOU should have been there…. Where? 29 Colliers Wood Football ground on the A3. When? Sunday May 29, 2011. The atmosphere was electric, the weather was fantastic and it was a brilliant day, which everyone enjoyed. The children bounced deliriously on the bouncy castle, the older children screamed in delight and frustration in the penalty shoot-out, who could score the first goal? The younger children delighted in having their face painted in all different colours and designs. Parents were relaxing, soaking in the wonderful weather and socialising amongst colleagues, family and friends. Others were dancing and singing to the various music being played and is always popular amongst staff, who look forward to this event each year. A big thank you to Derek Barker, operating manager from Stockwell garage, who handed out the awards and congratulated the Putney garage football team on their achievement this year. Mini medals were also handed out to the youngsters playing on the day. The youngsters showed off their medals with joy and pride. The home cooking of fried fish and jerk chicken was absolutely sumptuous – well done to Dionne Scott, Mark 8
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Arnold and Andy Glaysher for withstanding the heat of the barbecue in order to feed the queuing crowd. Mo Henry, who runs the Putney Sports and Social club, and I planned and organised this event, which was wonderful and is now in its third year. I always feel happy organising these kind of events and take pleasure when I see everyone looking happy and enjoying themselves – it makes all the hard work worthwhile. A well-planned and organised day – roll on the next planned social event. I hear Littlehampton and Epsom racecourse calling…
Published by Go-Ahead London. Produced by Ruxley Communications, Walton-on-Thames. Printed by Evolve Print Solutions, Rickmansworth.