Focused on Partnership About Us Oxford Bus Group’S Fleet Consists of 268 Vehicles Across 3 Depots in Oxford, Wallingford and High Wycombe
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The Oxford Bus Group Sustainability Report 2016 Focused on partnership About us Oxford Bus Group’s fleet consists of 268 vehicles across 3 depots in Oxford, Wallingford and High Wycombe. Our services operate across Oxford, South Oxfordshire, Reading and Buckinghamshire, as well as coach services between Oxford and London, Gatwick, Heathrow and Birmingham. The company also runs the popular park and ride service connecting Oxford’s five purpose-built car parks outside the city limits to the city centre. With over 800 employees, Oxford Bus Group is one of the region’s largest employers. Where we operate Birmingham Airport Warwick Banbury Oxford Abingdon Faringdon Hemel Hempstead Wantage Lewknor Watford Didcot High Wycombe Reading Hillingdon Henley London Heathrow Airport Gatwick Airport In this report 2 Managing Director’s message 6 Society 4 Our core values 8 Customers 5 Our approach 10 Our people 12 Finance 2016 highlights – Achieved Investors in People Accreditation £6.5m 23,755,000 investment into new, passenger – Launch of High Wycombe park cleaner buses journeys and ride service – Improved customer service offering, including launch of live chat and mobile app – High quality ‘connector’ service launched, connecting Didcot Parkway and 49 77 Harwell Campus Euro VI vehicles hybrid vehicles 6.3 average age of 37,000 fleet, in years app downloads For more information about Oxford Bus Group, visit: www.oxfordbus.co.uk www.thames-travel.co.uk www.carouselbuses.co.uk Follow us on social media We’re part of The facebook.com/oxfordbuscompany facebook.com/ThamesTravel Group @OxfordBusCo www.oxfordbus.co.uk www.thames-travel.co.uk www.carouselbuses.co.uk 1 Managing Director’s message The last year has been one of continuous improvement, both for our customers and our staff. New services, Investors in People certification and leveraging technology to better engage with our customers are just a few highlights of the year’s achievements. Phil Southall, Managing Director An ever-improving customer experience Over in Oxford, technology has been at the forefront of our efforts. In our High St travel shop, we introduced self-service top up machines for our key card customers. This now means there’s no need to queue for customers who just want to make a quick top up and be on their way. In recognising the changing face of technology and the convenience it brings, we re-launched our mobile ticketing app. Our customers can now instantly buy tickets for our city, park&ride, Thames Travel and the airline services – even as they are At Carousel Buses, we were awarded waiting for the bus to arrive. Those wanting a quick High Wycombe’s important park and ride answer to a question can now also use the live contract, a service which we branded and chat feature on our website – compatible with developed from the ground up. Staying in desktop, tablet and mobile devices – in addition to our well-established and very popular social High Wycombe, we also introduced the media accounts. town’s very first Euro 6 buses. British-built None of this excellent work can be delivered and showcasing some of the latest features without an exceptional team behind it. To this end available, this investment is a great example we have been working hard on our programme of of how we are constantly improving our culture change, which led to us achieving Investors customer experience in a sustainable manner. in People accreditation for the first time in the It doesn’t stop there though – we’ve also company’s history. added an additional 8 Plaxton Interdeck Recognition is an important part of staff coaches to our X90 Oxford – London fleet, engagement and we’ve been keen to shout about strengthening our commitment to providing our achievements. We’ve been recognised for our work with improving access for the disabled in the high quality coach services between Oxford Beautiful South Awards for Tourism with Silver in and London. 2 The Oxford Bus Group | Sustainability Report 2016 the ‘Access for All’ category. Our X90 Oxford – London coach service also took Silver in the UK Coach Awards’ Vision and Values ‘Top Express Operator’ category. One of our very own coach drivers placed 5th overall (as well as 1st in Go-Ahead) At Oxford Bus Group our company in the Bus Driver of the Year competition in Blackpool. mission statement is “One team, delivering an ever-improving customer experience.” This embodies the idea that pleasing our customers is an endless journey – there will always be more we can do, and our efforts build on work already done. Our internal and external culture is described by 5 core values: – Continued Success – Customer Focused – Embracing Diversity – Socially Responsible – Working as a Team Visit oxfordbus.co.uk/ visionandvalues for more information Oxford Bus Company receiving Silver at the Beautiful South Awards Our reporting structure We are committed to operating our bus and coach services in a safe, environmentally and socially responsible manner. This report is split into four sections: Society Customers Our Finance To run our To provide high people To run our business quality, locally with strong financial companies in a To be a leading focussed passenger discipline to safe, socially employer in the transport services. deliver sustainable and environmentally transport sector. responsible manner. shareholder value. Visit www.go-ahead.com/sustainability to find out more about our approach www.oxfordbus.co.uk www.thames-travel.co.uk www.carouselbuses.co.uk 3 Our core values Our business is built on a solid foundation of principles and ethics. At the centre of this is our mission statement: One team, delivering an ever-improving customer experience We deliver this through living by our 5 core values: 1) Continued Success – to be continually successful, we cannot stand still. We must constantly strive to change, innovate and move customer forward, with perfection as our ultimate aim. 2) Customer Focussed – Delivering focussed excellent customer service every day is at the very heart of what we do. The more we understand our customers, the better the continued service we can provide, meaning customers will choose our services again and again. success 3) Embracing Diversity – We recognise the value of a diverse workforce and the differing communities in which we operate. working Differences in age, race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, physical ability, thinking style and background bring richness to our business. as a team 4) Socially Responsible – We have an impact on all the communities we serve. At Oxford Bus Company we are proud to embracing say we are always giving back to the people we serve, and respecting the environment. diversity 5) Working as a Team – We are one team, and we all have our own parts to play. Working together makes the delivery of our very complex bus operation easier for all, and social mutual trust across the whole business is key to being a strong team. responsibility Wall_Photos_&_Company_Mission_Statements_Jan2016.indd 3 19/01/2016 14:35:08 Read more about our approach online at www.oxfordbus.co.uk/about-us 4 The Oxford Bus Group | Sustainability Report 2016 Our stakeholders Collaboration with stakeholders and partnership-working is fundamental in our approach to sustainability. Stakeholder structure As a leading provider of transport in the UK, we face a wide range of complex issues. Some of those issues are within our control, some we seek to influence and others are more challenging to manage and require partnering with pioneering and forward-looking groups. Our people When we look after our people, they grow along with the business Customers Community Our customers are at the Being part of the core of our business and community in which we their needs guide our WORKING IN operate, allows us to decision-making PARTNERSHIP engage closely with processes our market Local Authorities Strategic partners We work with local authorities and suppliers and LEPs to create valuable Ethical procurement and partnerships, and to ensure the economies of scale deliver voice of our industry and value for society and customers is acknowledged our business by key decision makers www.oxfordbus.co.uk www.thames-travel.co.uk www.carouselbuses.co.uk 5 Society Doing good for society goes hand Together in Partnerships in hand with good business. As a Oxford’s establishments, both new and old, have provider of services direct to the always thrived on strong partnerships. Through public, we help tens of thousands working with key stakeholders at all levels of government, local enterprise partnerships and the of people get where they need to Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce we ensure go every day. that buses get a ‘fair say’ in business and government decisions. It doesn’t stop there though – we have Being such an integral part supported dozens of charities throughout the year, either on an ad hoc basis or through long term of peoples’ days gives us the commitments such as Sobell House Hospice’s opportunity to do so much more ’40 Club’ fundraising initiative. than provide bus services – we have the ability – or perhaps even Library Bus for Cowley School the responsibility – to make a real difference to society. Key Highlights Oxford Bus Company’s ‘Library Bus’ project Earlier this year, a group of skilled Engineers at 100% £45.37 Oxford Bus Company turned one of the old of fleet fitted community spend vehicles into a long-needed library for a local with CCTV per employee primary school. The donated bus will become the central reading space for young pupils to practice their ever so needed reading skills. Gillian McDermott, Year 6 teacher and literacy lead said, 2,000 12 “We have always had school book corners individuals/ partners organisations/ beneficiaries beneficiaries but never had a space for a full school directly reached directly reached fiction library to access.