Blackpool Transport’s ambitious strategy for upgrading its fleet is part of a multifaceted approach to customer engagement as senior managers explain to Andy Izatt
“In the latest stage of our £22m investment programme, there will be 38 new buses going on to our network with the introduction of the summer schedule,” explained James Carney, Blackpool Transport’s Finance & Commercial Director. “That’s the 20 Enviro400 Citys currently deployed on rail replacement between Blackpool and Preston which are in addition to our normal winter fleet requirement, and 18 9.7m Enviro200 MMCs that will replace all our Optare Solos.
“Cantilevered seats have been specified for the Enviro200 MMCs as part of our developing Palladium-branded specification – this is the first time we’ve done that as it will make these buses easier to clean. There will also be a big symbol on the floor highlighting where the wheelchair bay is and seats in front of the internal step will have the words ‘Priority Seating’ stitched into the head rests.
“Like the rail replacement Enviro400 Citys, TFT screens will be fitted giving our Head of Stakeholders, Karen Cooper, another avenue to deliver infotainment linked to attractions, retailers and hoteliers in the town. We want to encourage our stakeholders to sell our tickets on their websites, but also want to persuade them to sell their tickets through our enhanced travel app which we’ll be launching prior to the summer season. We are exploring new markets and doing it in such a way that everyone can see the advantages.
“The latest intake of vehicles is on top of the 35 Enviro400 Citys we’ve already introduced over the past two years. The specification of those included wood-effect flooring, E-Leather for the seats, free WiFi, and next-stop audio and visual announcements. The second batch additionally had tables upstairs with USB charging points.
“I should mention that the latest 20 we’re using on rail replacement have a USB port, stop button and mobile device holder by each seat and seat handgrips replace many of the poles upstairs. We worked with Blackpool Sixth Form College to refine our specification and the resulting video produced in conjunction with Alexander Dennis (ADL) ends with the young people giving us a list of features they would like to see. That’s what we’ve incorporated into those buses.
“Don’t forget we also operate 10 Mercedes-Benz Citaros and there’s the nine Plaxton Centro-bodied Volvo B7RLEs that have additionally been refurbished to Palladium specification. With the latest intake, 70% of the fleet will have been replaced over the past two years. The target is that we won’t be operating anything older than five by the end of 2019.
“ADL delivers on time, its vehicles are mechanically sound and if there’s a problem it’s fixed within 24 hours. We’re actually getting one and three quarter miles per gallon more with the Enviro400 Citys than the Dennis Tridents being replaced so they’re more fuel efficient as well.
“ADL is volunteering knowledge transfer so our technicians know exactly what’s required to keep each bus in warranty level condition for five years. We’ve actually also sold it all our Trident parts. That wasn’t written into the original deal (CBW, April 18, 2017), but it was agreed on a handshake. The opportunity for ADL was to become our sole supplier by 2020 and we’re now paying a fixed sum per month for parts for these buses, as well as our new vehicles.
“Last year we reduced our budgeted parts costs by £166,000 and we’re beating the budget. We have also been able to reduce our engineering team by 22% without a single compulsory redundancy. As a business we’re saving money and our customers are receiving a much better product.
“The only extra cost is depreciation. What’s brave about the agreement we reached with ADL is not the price we buy buses at or how they’re maintained, but the risk we take when we sell after five years. What I’m looking for is at least 60% of the original price for vehicles that will have been maintained to warranty standards, have a very high specification and have covered less than 60,000 miles per year in a town with largely level roads. At that price we will be able to repay the Shareholder’s loan and avoid any loss on disposal. If this is achieved, the next cycle of bus renewals will be easier to justify.”
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Challenging issues
“The truth is we still suffer from vandalism,” James continued. “The damage done to the table top USB ports on our second batch of Enviro400 Citys is an example and in that instance we decided to remove them from future orders. Repairing vandalism is a significant cost that we have to absorb so it’s important to find ways to reduce it.”
“I’ve just been to a Be Safe meeting,” explained Head of Operations at Blackpool Transport, Mandy Davies. “All the partners were there – the police, fire brigade, ambulance service, Blackpool Council and protection groups. It’s a forum where we’re able to discuss antisocial behaviour and how it affects this company.
“A police officer acknowledged that the problem is escalating, but said there was a need to understand why rather than just looking to prosecute. I’ve explained that when children are involved, we understand the safeguarding issues, but we’re also aware that it’s a certain group responsible because we recognise their faces on our CCTV.”
“To an extent we would like our drivers to be problem solvers,” said James. “That way they take some ownership in finding a solution. It could be the way they control their language when they’re dealing with a difficult customer or how they go about asking for help when they need it. If they think about these things they become more self-managing which is an approach that deserves recognition and praise.
“Approximately 18 months ago we had a teenager who set fire to the upper deck of a bus by pouring lighter fluid into a seat. The bus was beyond economic repair. He was identified from the CCTV, attended a youth court and was convicted. Part of his punishment was to come and work for us cleaning buses and the feedback I received was that he was quite contrite.
“There are times when we need to see a prosecution and we make sure that when that happens, it’s well publicised. Not just for the benefit of our customers. The message we’re sending out to our staff is we want them to keep reporting what happens on their buses. We’re currently helping the police bring a prosecution against a group who slashed seats on two of our Enviro400 Citys on the same day. We knew who they were because they used their college smartcards to board.”
“Antisocial behaviour seems to be worse in September and October after the children have been off for the summer,” said Karen Cooper. “In the past it has been general rowdiness – throwing things about and being annoying to other people – but what we’ve seen this year is some aggressive behaviour and it has definitely ramped up to a new level on our buses. We’re doing some innovative proactive work to try and counteract it.
“Our Customer Experience Officer, Hazel Reynolds, has gone into all of the high schools in Blackpool with a driver to highlight the issue. They’re both people people and have done a lot to get the 4,800 pupils they’ve addressed at assemblies onside. The schools are now reporting reductions in complaints from the public and our drivers are telling us that they’re noticing a difference as well.
“We’re working with HeadStart, a multi-agency programme lottery-funded for five years, that’s striving to build resilience amongst children aged 10 to 16 who don’t find it easy to make an emotional connection with others. Making an emotional connection is central to everything we’re trying to do at Blackpool Transport.
“When teenagers spit on the bus, throw their juice around or start swearing, we want them to think about how the lady they might be sitting next to is like their ‘nana.’ The driver might be their father, brother or an uncle. We’re finding that’s really resonating, but the challenge with some children is they may not be able to make that personal connection. We’re still very determined to work with them. We’re not going to just walk away.
“We’re also starting a project to achieve a community bus stop concept. Basically there isn’t really any money available for bus stop enhancement so we’re taking a different approach with bus stops along routes 3 and 4 (Cleveleys – Mereside Tesco) because that’s where we’re going to allocate the new Enviro200 MMCs. The concept is to encourage people living nearby to take some ownership of a stop and perhaps even look after it. We’re already planning to display community information on the TFT screens on the buses, but it would be nice to see local events also publicised roadside especially if there’s a shelter provided.”
“There are actually three elements to this,” said James. “As well as us putting money into the new buses and asking the public to play their part, the Council has promised in principal to use some of its ward budgets to improve the condition of bus stops and shelters.
“We’re also conscious that it doesn’t have to be the public that gets involved – it could be employees who live along the route and there’s scope for companies to be involved as well. Sainsbury’s and Tescos, for example, have stores en route and the people who shop are often locals who have taken the bus to get there.
“The work we’re putting into improving customer engagement should help reduce vandalism because by involving local people more, the perpetrators are more likely to understand that behaving the way they do has an impact on their own family and friends.”
Forward thinking
“We’ve just agreed a two-year wage deal with staff” James explained. “That was for everyone. We’ve also fixed our fuel price until December 2019. There are utilities that we have agreed forward purchasing agreements with as well. What I’m trying to do is minimise the number of variables by locking down as many costs as possible, not least because the indications are that the local labour market is likely to become tighter.
“There is an increasing desire for Blackpool Transport to move its operating base to the Enterprise Zone by the airport, but we’re still at the preplanning stage of that. Two new hotels are going to be built close to our current site in Rigby Road. There’s also going to be a new conference centre in the town and the tram extension to Blackpool North station which should be complete by late 2019. Blackpool is looking for the next big thing and what’s needed is an attraction in the area we’re currently located. Because of that, the council would like the freehold of this site to begin that process and there’s talk of a transport museum.
“For us at Blackpool Transport, we’re on a learning journey and we are relishing the opportunity to try and do things differently.”
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