Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 Final progress report Foreword
Contents Every day millions of people travel on 3 Foreword Transport for London (TfL) services and Michèle Dix, Managing Director, Crossrail 2 we are committed to making sure that transport in the Capital is accessible 7 S ingle Equality Scheme 2015 progress report to all. We have made progress in • Transport planning improving access to our network, • Safety and security but we recognise that we need to do • Customer experience a lot more. • Engaging with stakeholders • Improving access to services In 2012 we brought our separate • Our workforce disability, gender, race and sexual • Human Resources policy development and implementation orientation schemes together into a Michèle Dix Single Equality Scheme for 2012-2015. Managing Director, Crossrail 2 and Chair of It set out what we planned to do to TfL’s Equality and Inclusion Leadership Group improve equality for all of London’s diverse communities in response to the key equality themes our customers, staff and suppliers identified as being the accessibility of the network. This important to them. includes providing accessible routes with real-time planning information Since then we have worked hard to around service disruptions and the About Transport for London deliver our equality commitments. This availability of lifts and escalators. When We are responsible for London Underground, London Buses, update, which is the third and final planning journeys, customers can now Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, TfL Rail, London report on our Single Equality Scheme specify their accessibility requirements Trams, London River Services, London Dial-a-Ride, Victoria Coach 2012-2015, provides details of what we in relation to step-free access, escalator Station, the Capital’s cycle hire scheme and the Emirates Air Line. have achieved over the past year. provision, walking distances within stations and the use of stairs. We regulate taxis and the private hire trade, run the Congestion Travel information Charging scheme, manage the city’s 580km red route network of Our travel information is now more Transport infrastructure key strategic roads, operate all of the Capital’s 6,200 traffic signals accessible; signage and wayfinding We are continuing to invest in making and ensure a safe environment for pedestrians and cyclists. in stations is better, Legible London London’s transport infrastructure more pedestrian maps have been introduced accessible. Our work to make more Transport is central to driving economic growth, jobs and housing. to nearly all boroughs and we have stations step-free continues and we In partnership with more than 14,000 organisations, we work to upgraded our online Journey Planner were delighted to be allocated a further improve life in London. to provide further information on £76m from Government in October
Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 3 from London’s diverse communities who in implementing our commitments in are deterred from using public transport, ‘Improving the health of Londoners: because of concerns about crime and Transport Action Plan’, the first plan of antisocial behaviour. its kind worldwide.
Engaging with stakeholders Our work with schools, colleges and During the year we continued to academies has resulted in encouraging We have continued to make stations more accessible engage with the Capital’s communities, walking, cycling and road safety through especially young, hearing impaired, accredited travel plans. vision impaired and disabled people and to share what these groups tell us with Air quality the London boroughs. We have done We have made progress on tackling the 2014, matching contributions from Safer travel this by continuing to support our Youth Capital’s poor air quality by removing local councils and property developers, Making sure our customers feel safe Panel, Independent Disability Advisory some of the older, more polluting cabs to provide a dozen more step-free Tube and secure while travelling remains a Group and the five London sub-regional from London’s streets and are planning and London Overground stations by priority for our organisation. We have mobility forums. This dialogue helps us to introduce the Ultra Low Emission 2025. More than eight out of 10 bus continued the implementation of our to improve customers’ travel experience Zone in 2020. We have also accelerated stops now meet accessibility criteria. Safe Streets for London: Road Safety and shape our services. the introduction of ultra low emission Action Plan for London 2020 and the hybrid buses. Customer experience Mayor of London’s Cycle Security Health inequalities Our customers wanted us to provide Plan and Cycle Safety Action Plan. We have worked to improve health Workforce diversity a better customer experience by In November 2014, we published an and reduce health inequalities through London’s diversity is growing and we ensuring all bus drivers treat their update of the latter, as well as our transport and the public realm, by: remain committed to reflecting this passengers well, particularly hearing Pedestrian Safety Action Plan. We have in our workforce. As reported in our impaired, disabled and older people. targeted boroughs with the largest • Tackling poor air quality Annual Workforce Monitoring Report, To achieve this, we worked with populations of black, Asian, minority in the year to March 2015, we saw a disabled and older peoples’ ethnic (BAME) pre-school children • Promoting the health benefits of slight increase in the percentage of organisations to develop a new training to encourage them to enrol in the cycling to all equality groups women and BAME employees in our programme for frontline staff. This Children’s Traffic Club. Pleasingly we workforce as a whole and at senior included a DVD for bus drivers in which have continued to see a fall in the • Encouraging young people to walk levels. We have promoted the role disabled people talk of the impact numbers of both adults and children or cycle for short journeys, where of women in the transport industry that good and bad service has on their killed or seriously injured on the Capital’s possible, rather than taking the bus through a number of initiatives, a ability to get around. Nearly all bus roads. We have also witnessed a steady In May 2015, we published an update highlight of which was our 100 Years drivers have now received this training. decrease in the proportions of people on the good progress we have made of Women in Transport programme.
4 Foreword Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 5 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report
The following section provides details of our progress towards achieving our 2015 equality objectives. Where actions last longer than a year we have provided an update on the progress we have made during the past year. We have not included actions that are complete and which were reported on in an earlier progress report.
Activity status Croydon Market The status of activities is either:
Complete – where the action has been fully completed and successfully closed off Diverse suppliers TfL vision for equality and inclusion. We are continuing to work with It will underpin our future equality Incomplete – where the activity has not been completed as intended our suppliers to address the under- commitments and the way we work representation of some groups in together as an organisation. Continuing – where progress has been made over the last year and more activity is to the transport industry – in particular take place before it will be completed BAME people, women, ex-offenders We have also reviewed the progress and disabled people. We have partnered we have made in meeting our equality with Race for Opportunity, a Business objectives over the last three years. in the Community organisation that We are using these findings, along helps employers increase the numbers with feedback from our staff and Transport planning of BAME people they employ. We have stakeholders, plus data on our Issue: Improving health and reducing health inequalities through transport and public realm also worked with our suppliers to offer organisation to develop our equality apprenticeships to people from objectives and action plan to take this Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report these groups. work forward over the next four years Complete Introduce the first Strategy & Planning In May 2015 we published a report on to 2020. We will be publishing our new 10-point ‘Health our progress towards delivering our Improvement Action commitments to improve health and Our current equality scheme has objectives in March 2016. Plan’, and publish reduce inequalities which were set out reached the end of its term. We have annual progress against in our first health action plan ‘Improving made progress over its lifetime although the report. the health of Londoners: Transport Action Plan’. there is still much we need to do, to We developed our healthy streets survey move us closer to achieving equality, into a tool which we will use to assess both for London’s communities and for our performance in reducing health our own organisation. Michèle Dix inequalities through street improvements. Managing Director, Crossrail 2 and With input from our staff and Chair of TfL’s Equality and Inclusion stakeholders, we are developing a new Leadership Group
6 Foreword Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 7 Issue: Poor air quality Issue: Cycling – promotion of the health and the environmental benefits of cycling to all equality groups Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Complete Low Emission Zone Surface Transport By the end of 2015, all our buses will meet Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report nitrogen oxides (NOx) the Euro IV NOx requirement. Planning Complete RideLondon event. Surface Transport The third Prudential RideLondon FreeCycle requirement (phase 5). event and RideLondon–Surrey 100 took Continuing More than 1,700 hybrid Surface Transport 1,550 hybrid buses (including New place in August 2015. More than 95,000 buses in service by Routemaster vehicles) will be in service by cyclists took over the roads of London and the end of 2016 31 December 2015. Surrey for the two-day festival. (including New An extensive Travel Demand Management Routemaster vehicles). campaign helped businesses and the Complete Consider the Planning Following a public consultation, the Mayor public plan ahead and get around on development of an confirmed the introduction of the ULEZ in the day. This ensured people living and Ultra Low Emission central London in 2020. working close to the route could avoid Zone (ULEZ). unnecessary inconvenience. Complete Use of the Mayor’s Surface Transport The Mayor’s Air Quality Fund is being used Complete The London Transport Surface Transport We continued activities to tackle theft Air Quality Fund. to implement local measures to improve Community Safety and support cycle security at schools air quality. Partnership set up and universities. Operation Cycle Ops As part of Operation Cycle Ops, Forty innovative projects are being to tackle cycle theft in unclaimed bikes which could not be supported including: London and increase returned to their rightful owners were cycling by addressing • Green walls to minimise pollution donated to a number of charities, fears about safety and exposure by busy roads including the Bike Project which donates security. Activities refurbished bikes to refugees and • A consolidation centre which is almost included an assessment asylum seekers. halving the number of delivery vehicles of victim type and servicing council buildings from looking at the participating suppliers possibility of working • Electric vehicle car clubs with minority groups. • Several campaigns to cut emissions owing to vehicle idling • A project working to reduce pollution from construction Continuing Take forward the Surface Transport In April 2015 we published a report recommendations made highlighting our progress to date in tackling by the Roads Task Force the challenges facing London’s roads. (RTF), as set out in our response to the RTF’s report published in July 2013.
8 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 9 Issue: How to encourage groups of young people to walk or cycle for short journeys (where Issue: How to address the disproportionate number of BAME children involved in road possible) rather than take the bus traffic collisions Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Continuing STARS (Sustainable Surface Transport We have encouraged all schools in London Continuing The Children’s Traffic Surface Transport We developed new materials for a Travel: Active, to develop travel plans to encourage safe Club is a road safety bespoke Children’s Traffic Club – London. Responsible, Safe) and active travel. programme aimed at We are on track to reach 85 per cent of provides a framework pre-school children and By the end of July 2015, 1,475 schools our audience by March 2016, 50 per cent and guidance for their parents/carers. The (more than 46 per cent of all London of which will be BAME children. nurseries, schools, resource is designed schools) were participating in our STARS colleges and academies to establish basic road accreditation scheme. to help them develop an safety skills for life. accredited travel plan. A guidance document to help Special Statistically, BAME It rewards educational educational needs and disability (SEND) groups are at greater risk establishments for schools adapt the initiatives in the STARS of becoming a casualty their commitment to, criteria for the needs of their pupils and on London’s roads. To and achievements in, key stakeholders has been developed. address this, we are encouraging walking, targeting boroughs with cycling and road safety. the largest populations The scheme helps of BAME pre-school schools to identify children to enrol them issues, set targets, in the Children’s monitor progress and Traffic Club. celebrate success at three levels (bronze, silver and gold). The Issue: Need to reduce the number of people killed or injured on London’s roads more initiatives a school has and the Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report greater the changes Complete We will: Surface Transport We published our casualty figures and in travel behaviour, annual road safety factsheet which • Publish an annual road the higher the STARS contains information on the progress safety report accreditation award. towards the Mayor’s road safety target. • Monitor and report Road safety figures continued to show a on progress against strong long-term reduction in casualties, the casualty reduction with a 50 per cent drop in the number of target – to reduce the children KSIs. Figures for 2014 showed number of people a reduction in KSIs of 40 per cent from killed or seriously the 2005-2009 baseline, meaning the injured (KSI) – by Mayor’s 2020 KSI reduction target was 40 per cent by 2020, met six years early. This led to the Mayor based on a 2005-2009 stretching his target to reduce KSIs by average baseline 50 per cent by 2020, compared with the • Monitor and report same baseline. rate-based safety By March a review of the Road Safety Plan indicators for will have taken place and the equality pedestrians, related activities will be reported in the cyclists, motorcyclists 2016 Road Safety Plan. and children
10 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 11 Safety and security Issue: Perception that young people are perpetrators of crime and antisocial behaviour, Issue: Ensuring all people, and particularly women and young people, feel safer travelling on the particularly among older and disabled people on the transport network, and especially on buses transport network Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Complete Activity involving Surface Transport Our borough Safer Transport Teams Complete Continue to run the Surface Transport We continued the successful Safer Travel Enforcement and On- participated in a number of events in successful Safer Travel at Night campaign, working with the street Operations (EOS) 2015, which brought together older and at Night campaign and Mayor, the MPS, the City of London Police to promote positive younger members of the community. find new ways to get (CoLP) and the BTP to improve safety relationships between Our research into attitudes has shown the message to a through industry regulation and licensing, younger and older that these activities have promoted wider audience. enforcement and education. people on the positive relationships. The related communication campaign transport network. aimed to make people aware of what Complete Hold events that focus Surface Transport Working with the MPS, our Safety and constitutes a booked minicab, and the on youth issues with Citizenship team continued to attend dangers of using un-booked minicabs. teams from the British junior citizenship scheme events and It ran across print, video on demand Transport Police (BTP) presentations at schools. and cinema, mobile, outdoor, social and and Metropolitan Police bar media, and also involved face-to-face TfL-funded police teams across London Service (MPS), together engagement at key times and locations held inter-generational events. with our Safety and by both TfL funded police officers and Citizenship team. TfL staff. Complete Project Guardian is Surface Transport Project Guardian has seen increased levels a long-term project of reporting and detection rates of cases involving TfL, the BTP, of sexual assaults. the CoLP and the See case study on page 16. MPS, which aims to reduce sexual assaults and unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport in London. Complete Make it easier to report Surface Transport Information about how to report hate hate crime. crime is now available on tfl.gov.uk Complete We will use the 32 ‘fear Surface Transport We produced fear of crime profiles for of crime’ profiles to help all London boroughs. This has helped identify which boroughs support Safer Transport Team inspectors and communities are to produce confidence plans for each of most fearful. their boroughs and show how they will engage with all communities. We continue to carry out quarterly surveys of the public’s attitude to safety and security.
12 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 13 Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Complete Bus route 25 experiences Surface Transport Work on Route 25 has resulted in a higher levels of antisocial reduction in crime and the fear of crime. behaviour and crime. A Learning from this work is to be extended review of this route was to at least two new routes. undertaken in order to: • Address the fear of crime • Identify solutions through police enforcement and community engagement. The intention is to use the model tried and tested on this route to address other ‘high crime’ routes Complete Use the Youth Panel and Surface Transport We continued regular engagement other local youth groups with our Youth Panel on safety and to assess and respond to security issues, such as consultation on young people’s feelings our new Teen Road Safety campaign, of safety and security. developing the Youth Travel Ambassador programme and roll-out of the Safer Travel at Night programme. Complete The Youth Travel Surface Transport Our YTA scheme for the 2014/15 Ambassador (YTA) school year came to a close in early July scheme to adopt a with 131 schools delivering behaviour pupil-led approach to change campaigns. help participants make a A total of 150 schools have signed up for positive impact on the 2015/16 academic year. their peers and local community. Groups of YTA students promote active, safer and more responsible travel to their peers, while the YTAs learn vital skills to improve their employability.
14 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 15 Report it to stop it – tackling unwanted sexual behaviour on London transport The campaign is boosting confidence in the reporting of sexual offences.
Project Guardian, the partnership More than 2,000 police and Police between TfL, the British Transport Police Community Support Officers, as well (BTP), City of London Police (CoLP) and as TfL Revenue Inspectors, have been the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), trained to spot offender behaviour better, set up in July 2013, is continuing to take reports and provide improved tackle sexual offences, reduce the risk of victim care. becoming a victim and target offenders. To make it easier for victims to A safety and security survey showed report incidents, the BTP launched one in 10 passengers had experienced a text message reporting service. By unwanted sexual behaviour on the calling 61016 the public can report network, with 90 per cent not reporting any behaviour that makes them feel the crime to police. uncomfortable on public transport in a discreet manner, and are guaranteed Project Guardian has been widely a reply. supported by groups such as Everyday Sexism, End Violence against Women Throughout the project, there has Coalition and Hollaback UK. been face-to-face engagement and social media activity. In April 2015, TfL’s new campaign encourages people to report inappropriate, unwanted sexual behaviour Enforcement activities have included we launched the ‘Report it to stop it’ targeted police operations and regular advertising campaign, centred around weeks of action. Apprehending a short film which shows a woman offenders, bringing them to justice experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour more people the reassurance and of reports to the police, building on and publicising the results of court on a Tube. confidence they need to report the 30 per cent increase we had decisions is giving Londoners assurance unwanted sexual behaviour. In the already seen in the first two years that the police and courts take sexual Nearly two million people have months after release, there were of Project Guardian. For more offences seriously. already watched the film – giving large rises in the number information, visit report-it.tumblr.com/
16 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 17 Helping people with learning disabilities to stay safe on public transport Research shows that many passengers with learning disabilities have been victimised at some point while travelling, but very few have reported the incident to police.
Many also said they had altered their • To understand how people with travel patterns, or had stopped going learning disabilities learn new out, because they were afraid to. behaviours and skills
The TfL-funded Metropolitan Police • To work with professionals who have Service Barnet Safer Transport Team established relationships and trust (STT) has been working with MENCAP with people with learning disabilities and Barnet Borough Council since 2012 to increase awareness of this type of • To have a sustainable outcome that hate crime. It has found that some would acknowledge the abilities of individuals were unable to identify adults with learning disabilities by when they were being subjected to involving them in training others crime or antisocial behaviour and that many were unsure of how to stay safe In summer 2015, Barnet Roads and or request help. As a result, the team Transport Policing Command attended set up a project to teach members of an event called The Happy Healthy Fun the learning disabled community about Day with MENCAP, Barnet Council, crime prevention and travel safety, to Adult Community Services and other help them feel less vulnerable and more support groups. Here, the STT was able confident using public transport. to offer advice on safer travel and crime prevention. The STT regularly attends The objectives were: workshops with learning disabled peoples’ groups on Saturdays and has • To better equip passengers to come to know most of the members. deal with any potential crime or The sessions have also resulted in antisocial behaviour improved confidence in policing and more use of public transport. We want more people to report hate crime
18 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 19 Customer experience App encourages Issue: Bus driver behaviour and training Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report independent travel Complete Work with bus operators Surface Transport By December 2015 we will have on effective local organised four sessions with bus engagement initiatives operators to engage with people with A new Tube app has been developed to help with older and disabled learning difficulties. people, highlighting and We have also been working with the blind and partially sighted customers navigate sharing best practice. five, sub-regional mobility forums (central, north, east, west and south) their way around stations independently. on involving people with learning difficulties. In addition, bus operators are organising sessions with local groups to help shape services. Complete Hold bus driver workshop Surface Transport The YTA team continued to work with days with young people. London Buses to host driver/young people workshops at London Transport Museum. These give bus drivers and Youth Travel Ambassadors a chance to get a greater understanding of each other and build a The app works by using Bluetooth low- rapport with the YTA project. energy beacons that transmit a signal Complete Ensure all bus drivers Surface Transport In collaboration with Transport for All and to a smartphone which then translates have watched the Age UK, we developed a new accessibility accessibility training training film. The interactive DVD, called it to a location specific instruction. The DVD, developed in All Aboard! has been included in bus system was trialled at Pimlico Tube partnership with user driver training since October 2013. station over two weeks in 2015, with a groups for disabled and The film has been seen by 95 per cent of older people. number of participants. bus drivers. We are working on the project in Issue: The use of the priority wheelchair area on buses partnership with the Royal London Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Society for Blind People to help it Complete Continue the customer Surface Transport We ran a refreshed customer information realise one of the ambitions in its Youth information campaign to campaign during 2015 to build and Manifesto: to enable young, visually provide clarity on the use maintain awareness of the need for buggy impaired people to use the transport of the wheelchair bay. users to make room for wheelchair users. network autonomously, promoting See the case study on page 22. independence and equality.
Additional funding from the Department Wayfindr trial at Euston Tube station for Transport has allowed us to extend the trial to see if the technology could help users successfully navigate from the station to areas outside, such as In December 2015, the initiative, called bus stops and road crossings. The Wayfindr, was awarded a £1m grant results from the trial will enable us to for the next three years by Google.org. develop the technology further for use This will begin with a full-scale trial at in larger stations with multiple lines. Euston Tube station.
20 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 21 The wheelchair priority space – hearing your views Feedback from customers and bus drivers has shown a need to clarify how the wheelchair priority space should be used.
Results from research showed that users. This included clearer signs in the inconsistent experiences when using wheelchair priority area, and posters the space are a major cause of stress on buses and at bus stops. This was We are continuing to focus on the issue of the priority space for wheelchair users, people travelling also communicated to bus operators, with buggies and bus drivers. so they understood the purpose of the campaign and the guidelines. Customers wanted to know: ‘Jean has played an influential Wheelchair user Jean Eveleigh had A year later, we saw better compliance part in changing the views experienced poor service first-hand as • What priority means in practice from buggy users and an increased of driving, supervisory and a bus user and complained to her local understanding of the guidelines by managerial staff at the depots, bus operator Tower Transit. She met • When to share the space drivers and passengers. There was as she can see it from both with Adam Leishman, the Managing also a huge improvement in drivers points of view, and in changing Director, and told him she felt the • When to fold down buggies asking buggy users to share, move or attitudes across staff groups at company could do much better. Adam fold their buggies to make space for all levels’. offered her a three-month contract to • Which door buggies are able to use wheelchair users. Adam Leishman, Managing help him improve his customer service to board Director, Tower Transit for disabled people. Nearly a year Since then we’ve received fewer later, Jean is still with Tower Transit Bus drivers also told us they needed complaints, but we do know that this confidently working with drivers to support, so they can provide customers is a continuing issue, as compliance talk about on-the-road issues. She is with a more consistent service. had started to drop and some drivers often seen reminding the supervisors of are still not clear as to how they the effect their decisions can have on To address the issue, we ran a should deal with the situation. We are customers. In June, Jean was shortlisted communications campaign in 2012 to continuing to focus on this issue to for the Accessible Champion Award at reinforce the message that buggy users ensure that wheelchair users can travel the London Bus Awards. need to make space for wheelchair on our bus network with confidence.
22 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 23 Engaging with stakeholders Issue: Understanding the travel needs of London’s diverse communities Issue: Engaging with stakeholders Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Complete Publish ‘Travel in London: Planning We published the 2015 edition of Complete Showcase our youth Customer Experience, Young people from youth organisations understanding our ‘Travel in London: understanding our participation work and Marketing and across London attended our annual Youth diverse communities’. diverse communities’ in September. raise awareness of youth- Communications Participation Day at London Transport This pulls together the focused campaigns. Museum in November 2015. The focus for The updated information on trip patterns majority of research/data this year’s event was in our Transported and the barriers to travel and transport that we have across all by Design programme looking at the across all equalities groups provides a equalities groups to help innovative ways in which the transport good baseline to help shape services. us better understand the network benefits from good design. travel needs of London’s These included the Tube map, poster communities and, if any, design and accessibility features, such the barriers they face. as tactile paving. Attendees also had the opportunity to raise transport issues Complete Introduce an London Overground Accessibility Mystery Traveller Surveys directly with staff. Accessibility Mystery continued to take place regularly on Traveller Survey (AMTS) London Overground. Complete Hold Youth Panel Customer Experience, Our Youth Panel consists of 25 young to London Overground. meetings (members aged Marketing and people from across London who meet between 13 and 25) every Communications every two months. The Panel enables two months. young people to influence our senior managers decisions. The Panel set the agenda for its one-year term at an induction day in February. This agenda is shaped by the ideas and opinions shared by young Londoners at the previous Youth Participation Day. The Youth Panel gave its views on how to improve road safety among young people as part of our Tortoise and Hare campaign. It is also regularly consulted about major projects, such as the expansion of the Overground and developments in ticketing and concessionary travel. The Panel worked with youth organisations (such as the Royal London Society for Blind People Youth Forum, Whizz-Kidz and borough youth councils) to hear about issues that are important to other young Londoners. Complete Review the progress of Planning A review was carried out in the first all the sub-regional year of operation of the forums in all mobility forums during the sub-regions. This included online, their first year. telephone and face-to-face interviews. The results have led to the forums’ current format. Incomplete Hold annual Planning We are planning a borough event to transport-themed share equality best practice using ‘Travel event for borough in London: understanding our diverse representatives and communities’ in February 2016. stakeholders focused on sharing information and equality best practice.
24 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 25 Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Issue: 100 Years of Women in Transport – to celebrate the important role of women in our industry and to engage, motivate and inspire current and future generations of transport workers, Complete Hold stakeholder Customer Experience, We held more than 100 events with particularly women (programme roadshow events to Marketing and grassroots older and disabled people’s continuing) engage with older and Communications organisations, meeting more than Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report disabled people across 2,000 people across all 33 London London, and share boroughs. We distributed around 3,500 Continuing We will achieve this by: Customer Experience, Following the launch of the 100 Years Marketing and of Women in Transport programme in information on our campaign leaflets and 5,000 copies • Showcasing the Communications November 2014, we delivered a number accessible services. of our access guides and information. significant contribution of events, activities and initiatives to We also promoted information about women have made and engage, motivate and inspire women access on social media and in articles continue to make to currently working in the transport industry, in many stakeholder publications. the transport industry, as well as future generations. Proposals Activity officially ended in November drawing from examples for legacy activity are being developed. 2014, however, due to continuing past and present demand we are still visiting organisations See case study on page 30. approximately every fortnight. The • Attracting more programme is being extended. women to join the transport workforce by Complete Continue and extend Planning We continued our strong tradition of targeting young women (programme engagement with engagement with disabled people’s and setting out the continuing) disabled people’s Customer Experience, organisations, including the Come On variety of careers the organisations, making Marketing and Board local engagement campaign, step- industry has to offer sure these groups are Communications free access workshops and the upcoming involved in all aspects of online, app and printed information • Engaging, motivating service development. We workshops. We are also building and inspiring our will hold regular meetings stronger relationships with stakeholders, women employees and roundtable events to particularly with those representing people and women working keep stakeholders up to with hidden disabilities. in our supply chain date and involve them in by offering them improving accessibility. opportunities for personal development and progression at all levels • Establishing an industry-wide network to deliver an impactful, integrated programme to provide continued improvement and development
26 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 27 Issue: Procurement – working with our suppliers through our Responsible Procurement Policy Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report to address underrepresentation within the transport industry, particularly in relation to BAME, women, ex-offenders and disabled people Complete Develop partnerships Finance During National Apprenticeship Week with organisations we ran a recruitment fair at City Hall to Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report that support under- provide a forum to promote our supply represented groups to chain apprenticeship activity. At the event Complete Ensure Strategic Labour Finance We include SLNT requirements in ensure access is made 14 suppliers presented more than 200 Needs and Training appropriate procurement contracts. available to employment apprenticeship opportunities to more than (SLNT) provisions are and apprenticeship 100 young, out-of-work Londoners. included in contracts to opportunities arising maximise apprenticeship through our supply chain. and employment opportunities to ensure Complete Continue to support the Finance In June 2015 the SST also hosted a careers that local communities partnership with Race for in transport information session at the and those most Opportunity (a Business London Transport Museum for members disadvantaged benefit in the Community of a Race for Opportunity mentoring circle from our work. campaign committed to from Brixton Jobcentre. improving employment Complete Ensure that our Finance The SST is working with suppliers on opportunities for ethnic TfL’s Director of Commercial, Andrew spend maximises more than £6bn worth of contracts, minorities across Quincey, currently sits on the Race for apprenticeship, including the District and Circle line the UK). Opportunity Advisory Board. employment and signalling upgrade contract, the Northern training opportunities line extension and the Bank station for Londoners. TfL/ capacity upgrade project. The team works Greater London closely with our suppliers to support Authority (GLA) are them in providing skills and employment co-funding the Supplier opportunities. Since the programme Skills Team (SST) to work started, more than 4,000 apprenticeships with our supply chain. have been created on our projects, and more than 4,500 out-of-work Londoners have entered employment with our suppliers. Complete Route into Work, a pre- Finance/London Each month we run a Route into employment training Transport Museum Work programme featuring a different programme delivered by TfL supplier who has employment the London Transport opportunities available. More than Museum in partnership 300 young people have taken part in the with the SST, uses the programme since 2010, with 50 per cent heritage of London’s of the participants having moved into transport to provide further training or employment as a future transport workers direct result. and young people In June 2015 we ran a Route into Work not in employment programme specifically for young women, education or training as part of our 100 Years of Women with the knowledge in Transport campaign and Women in and skills they need to Engineering Day. Fifteen young women access employment completed the course and were able to opportunities arising with discuss job opportunities in the industry our suppliers. with MTR Crossrail, Ferrovial Agroman Laing O’Rourke JV and London United.
28 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 29 Marking 100 Years of Women in Transport We launched the 100 Years of Women in Transport (YOWIT) programme in November 2014, to focus on developing our workforce and to inspire the next generation of women to build a career in transport.
A host of activities took place to At TfL, ‘Bring your daughter to work encourage and motivate women already day’ proved popular with more than in the sector. The programme included 70 people and their daughters industry insight sessions, debates, participating. We took part in the first panel discussions and workshops, plus ever 50/50 work experience programme two speed mentoring evenings. with the Royal Greenwich University Technical College and hosted an We also profiled more than 100 women equal number of male and female from across the industry and set a work experience students. We also Guinness World Record in which 864 mobilised a network of YOWIT Schools people completed a simultaneous Champions who volunteered their jumping high-five to mark National time to visit careers fairs and schools, Women in Engineering Day in June 2015. providing information to young women about roles in the transport sector.
‘Having delivered a successful In addition, 46 industry leaders came 12 month campaign, we are turning to a speed mentoring event in our attention to the challenge of the September at the Institution of Civil programme’s legacy. A key element Engineers, offering their advice and of this work will be to develop a knowledge to the 86 people attending.
compelling brand for the transport In autumn 2015, we launched our Record-breakers celebrate Women in Engineering Day industry, which clearly articulates our first ever Great Schools Debate in purpose in building cities, unlocking partnership with Bechtel. regeneration and sustaining future Activities for the YOWIT programme have resulted in an impressive network growth and sets out why we are of more than 8,000 individuals from across the industry and other related the industry of choice.’ industries and institutions. They have been supported by more than 260 Kerri Rogan, different organisations. Head of Corporate Affairs
30 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 31 Mystery survey at the heart of accessible transport Every day 1.3 million journeys are made by disabled people in London, and each mode of transport has its own set of challenges for disabled travellers.
We are committed to making it easier ‘The AMTS is unique across transport for disabled customers to travel providers, as its main strength is the around the Capital. To ensure we do fact that a wide selection of disabled this effectively, we carry out a regular people take part and review real life Accessibility Mystery Traveller Survey day-to-day journeys. These insights (AMTS) to capture and measure travel have significant impact and drive our experiences. The methodology is decision-making and strategies on moulded around the individual needs the accessibility of the Capital’s of a skilled team of 45 disabled transport network.’ assessors, who are at the heart of Dr Alice Maynard, CBE, the research design process. Any Chair of TfL’s Independent Disability highlighted issues become part of the Advisory Group focus for our accessibility strategy. Two recent initiatives include the manual boarding ramps we now use on the Underground and wheelchair priority areas on buses.
The latest results from our reputation survey show that more than half of disabled people in the Capital are aware of at least one improvement to reduce barriers to travelling on the network. In addition, 45 per cent of respondents feel we are making it easier for disabled people to get around.
Every day 1.3 million journeys are made by disabled people in London
32 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 33 Improving access to services Issue: Information needs to be more accessible Issue: Enhanced infrastructure – to make parts of the network easier to access Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Incomplete Work with Network Rail Customer Experience, Research into possible options has taken Incomplete Invest around £250m to London Underground Step-free access has been provided from (solution not and the Association Marketing and place. This highlighted how complex (programme provide step-free access and Rail street to platform on the Hammersmith & found) of Train Operating Communications showing Network Rail and Underground continuing) at an additional six key City line at Paddington. Companies to produce accessibility options effectively on a single London stations (Bond Step-free access on the Waterloo & City a step-free rail map for map would be. Differing information Street, Finsbury Park, line at Bank will be delivered in 2017. London, including the needs of customers makes designing a Greenford, Tottenham rail services we do not map that suits all difficult. The limited use Court Road, Vauxhall We are currently investing around operate. This will give of the maps within the station and the and Victoria). The works £250m to provide step-free access at an an overview of step-free existing complexities of the map design at Bond Street and additional six key interchange stations: access across all rail suggest that placing accessibility symbols Tottenham Court Road Tottenham Court Road (2016), Bond Street services in the Capital for on the rail and Tube map may be of will provide step-free (2017), Bank Waterloo & City line (2017), the first time. limited benefit to customers. The research access to the heart Finsbury Park (2018) and Victoria (2018). also acknowledged that it would be too of the West End and The works at Bond Street and Tottenham complicated to include information on an interchange with Court Road will provide step-free accessibility of interchanges on the Crossrail, revolutionising access to the heart of the West End map itself. accessible transport and interchange with a fully accessible across central London. Incomplete Redevelop TfL’s website Customer Experience, With all online developments, we are Crossrail service, revolutionising with clearer, easier-to- Marketing and maintaining high levels of accessibility, Make four more stations accessible transport across London. partially step-free (the read content, designed Communications meeting and exceeding statutory We are planning to complete further step- Hammersmith & City line to work across a range standards. We are developing all our free access by the early 2020s as part of at Paddington in 2014, of devices. Planned website services in line with current the planned capacity upgrades at Bank the Waterloo & City line improvements for 2015 accessibility commitments (W3C Level (Northern line) and Elephant & Castle at Bank in 2015, and include the introduction AA), and will continue to audit all our sites (Northern line). of single accounts and services against these standards. the Northern line at that require only one Elephant & Castle and In October, Greenford became the 67th We have upgraded our Journey Planner to password to access all Bank by 2021). step-free Tube station. take account of the live status of lifts in online services and a new stations. Customers can also save their Tower Hill and Vauxhall Tube stations online customer service accessibility requirements in relation to are set to become step-free in spring and complaints system. step-free access, escalator provision, 2016, and more than half of TfL’s rail and Upgrade Journey walking distances within stations and use Underground stations are due to be step- Planner so it contains of stairs when planning their journeys. free by 2018. further information Work on a new customer service and The work at Tower Hill and Bromley-by- on the accessibility of complaints service and a single password Bow stations, which is being delivered the network. to access to all of TfL’s online services in partnership with third parties, has is continuing. inspired the Partnership Step-Free Access Programme. This programme was launched by the Mayor in June 2015 and, over the next 10 years, will aim to deliver step-free access at around a dozen Tube stations across London in partnership with developers and boroughs. The extent of the programme and locations added will be subject to a number of criteria and the potential for collaborative working with, and funding from, these third parties.
34 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 35 Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Continuing Retain manual London Underground We continued to roll out manual Complete Install 80 more wide- London Underground We have completed this work. Plans are boarding ramps at boarding ramps. These are available at aisle gates at 60 now in place to install wide-aisle gates at 16 stations on the Tube more than 50 Tube stations. Tube stations. a further 74 stations. This means all Tube network and roll out to stations with an Underground ticketing We considered the use of slant ramps at stations which would system gateline will have wide-aisle gates 11 locations. These were not considered maximise the number of by April 2017. to be viable. We are planning to test a step-free journeys. prototype of a turntable ramp. Incomplete Introduce tactile paving London Underground The project is being completed later than on all platform edges planned (in 2016/17) due to challenging Incomplete Install platform humps London Underground We have now installed a total of across the Tube network. structural requirements. and other measures so 38 platform humps on the Northern line, that a third of the Tube two on the Jubilee line and one on the Continuing Provide small but London Underground As part of our continuous programme network will have level Metropolitan line. important physical of improvements at stations, we are access platforms in accessibility adding tactile edges to the top and So far, for 2015 we have installed 2015, up from 15 per improvements on the bottom of all stairs, to ensure we comply 10 platform humps on the Northern line. cent. Thirty-five more Tube, including improved with regulations. We are also refreshing Ramps will be going in at two platforms platforms across the handrails, colour contrast and preparing colour contrasts, as part and we will trial a new style of ramp at five Jubilee and Northern features, tactile paving on of routine decorating updates and platforms. In addition, we lifted the track lines will have platform stairs and replacement of building this into our Integrated Stations at Wembley Park and profiled a platform humps by the end of obsolete Help Points. Programme of works. at Stanmore to facilitate step-free access. 2013. This includes Thirty-seven more current step-free We will complete Colindale and stations will be stations, such as Hampstead in early 2016. completed by the end Golders Green and Further funding is being sought this of 2016, and a further Kilburn, plus key step- financial year to improve compliance with 37 by 2020. free interchanges, the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations such as Baker Street on more platforms on the Jubilee line. Complete Invest £17m to improve Surface Transport We have improved bus stop accessibility, and Stockwell. bus stop accessibility with 85 per cent now being accessible. and meet our target of Complete Introduce 53 new, London Underground 53 new trains are now running on the making 70 per cent of (programme state-of-the-art, air- Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith bus stops accessible by continuing) conditioned trains on & City lines. We are continuing to roll out spring 2013 and 95 per the Hammersmith & new trains on the District line. There are cent by end of 2016. City and Circle lines. already new trains on the Wimbledon to These will have wide Edgware Road District line service. Continuing We will continue to Surface Transport We have provided more facilities for doors, dedicated spaces roll out Pedestrian mobility impaired pedestrians. 36 of the trains have been delivered for wheelchair users, Countdown at Traffic to London for use on the District line. We have introduced Pedestrian a low-floor design Signal Junctions (PCaTS). 31 of these are in service. Ten more will Countdowns at 510 crossings. This for improved access be in service by the end of January 2016. technology replaces the ‘blackout’ period between the train and The remaining 39 will be in service by on traffic signals with a numerical counter, platform, multi-purpose December 2016. to show how long pedestrians have left to spaces throughout, and safely cross the road. advanced audio and Passengers benefit from the spacious air- visual information. conditioned trains. The new trains also By summer 2016, 800 crossings, or have provision for wheelchair access and around 20 per cent of all pedestrian An additional 80 new positions where there are tip-up seats. crossings in London, will have trains with these This makes travel easier for people with Pedestrian Countdown. features will be pushchairs and luggage. introduced to the District The work forms a key part of the Mayor line, meaning that 40 per and TfL’s road safety target to halve the cent of the Tube network number of people killed or seriously will be served by air- injured on London’s roads by 2020, conditioned trains with compared to the Government baseline. improved accessibility.
36 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 37 Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Issue: Improvements to taxi and private hire access Continuing Upgrade the remaining Surface Transport Our accessible crossing programme will Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report (on track) 211 signalised pedestrian result in rotating cones and/or audible Complete From 2012, develop Surface Transport Our improvements to the online Cabwise crossings to include signals at all signalised pedestrian systems over the next search have made it easier to book a rotating cones and/or crossings by spring 2016. two years to support our licensed minicab. audible signals and Cabwise and Find a ride tactile paving. We are also planning improvements to services, which should the taxi and private hire pages on the increase the number of Complete Deliver pedestrian Surface Transport We completed these schemes in 2014. passenger facing section of our website. improvement schemes, private hire operators including those at registered with these Tottenham Hale, Holborn services and make it Circus, Baker Street, easier for all users to Elephant and Castle book a taxi or private northern roundabout, hire vehicle. Waterloo roundabout Over the next four and Vauxhall. These form years continue to part of a review of 500 promote the services junctions across London. across London. Complete Work with boroughs to Surface Transport We have completed these projects. We improve the accessibility have removed the gyratory on Tottenham of streets across the Court Road. We have completed the Capital, including Bromley North scheme, as well as the funding a range of Wood Green and Harlesden urban realms pedestrian and public and accessibility improvements. realm improvements. This will see significant improvements at locations including Aldgate, Bromley, Croydon, Harlesden, Tolworth, Wood Green and the West End. Complete Trial new technology Surface Transport We continued our trials to improve the that will detect groups accessibility of London’s street networks, of people at pedestrian especially for disabled groups. Five trial crossings and adjust the sites are now in place. crossing time given to pedestrians to make sure that queues are cleared.
38 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 39 Issue: Improved customer experience Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Complete Develop a team of Customer Experience, Through a new Accessibility Aware accessibility champions Marketing and programme, we are providing training within contact centres Communications and support for all frontline Contact who will have an in- Centre Operations advisers, to equip depth understanding them with a better knowledge of our of accessible travel range of accessibility services. It will in London. also enable them to share information with their colleagues. We now include this information as part of our induction process for all new starters in our contact centres. Complete Simplify the online Customer Experience, We have made changes to the online contact system to make Marketing and and telephone options, to enable easier it easier to give feedback. Communications customer access. Complete Change the way Customer Experience, After an intial pilot was completed (programme complaints are logged Marketing and another will take place continuing to look continuing) and categorised so Communications at how we can make improvements to our trends can be better reporting system and processes, to enable identified and specific us to highlight and analyse feedback in issues can be addressed. relation to accessibility. Incomplete Publish accessibility Customer Experience, Quarterly complaints data, integrating (continuing) complaints data as Marketing and accessibility, has been published since part of our quarterly Communications 2013. A pilot programme is under way complaints report which may enable a more detailed level of reporting complaints data. Continuing Expand the travel Surface Transport In 2015 we established a monthly Bus Day mentoring service across in Greenwich and are preparing to launch the Capital, aiming to bus days in Lambeth and Lewisham before have a local mentoring spring 2016. We are running Bus Days in project running in 90 per 16 boroughs in total. cent of London boroughs Currently 85 per cent of boroughs have by spring 2016. local travel mentoring projects. We expect to have them running in 90 per cent of boroughs by spring 2016. Complete Consult with the taxi Surface Transport We completed the consultation on private trade on the introduction hire regulations, including driver training. of customer service We are reviewing the responses to the training during the consultation and will be developing a Knowledge, with the number of recommendations. aim that all drivers We conducted research among assistance benefit from disability dog owners about their experiences when awareness training using private hire services in London. before being licensed. We have developed a poster, leaflet and animation designed to improve the experience for those travelling with assistance dogs in taxis and private hire vehicles.
40 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 41 Encouraging travel for all I’m inclined to use the lift Over the years, changes to the transport network at Greenford Tube have made it more accessible to everyone. Greenford Underground is the first station in England to be installed with an incline lift.
Improved step-free access, tactile Already in use in many major European ‘The new incline lift is spacious, quick, paving, audio-visual announcements, cities and America, the introduction and provides much-needed step-free wider gates and more accessibility of this innovative lift design in Britain access to our customers at Greenford. information are making a real difference marks a major step forward for disabled It is cheaper to install and cheaper to to people’s lives. And, further access in London. run and I am hopeful we can introduce improvements will come. this innovation elsewhere on the Tube These types of lifts are easier to network in the future’. During the past year, we ran a campaign install and a more cost effective David Waboso, London Underground’s to highlight the improvements and to way of improving accessibility than a Director of Capital Programmes encourage customers with accessibility traditional vertical lift. In fact, it made needs to find out more about and try a huge saving at Greenford, costing new forms of transport. It included £2.2m, with a £200,000 contribution The lift replaces the old wooden radio ads, posters, emails and online from Ealing Council, compared with an escalator – which dated from 1947 information. We continue to engage estimated £10m to install a vertical lift. – and makes Greenford the 67th step- with local and grassroots organisations It is also 50 per cent more efficient than free Tube station. Similar lifts are being across the Capital, following the a standard lift. installed at the Crossrail stations at success of our 2014 campaign, which Farringdon and Liverpool Street. looked to provide older and disabled people with the knowledge and In addition to the lift, the men’s toilet confidence to use more of our services. on the platform has been replaced Although our surveys show overall with a unisex accessible toilet. Other customer experience has improved, improvements include more lighting we need to do even more to address and better signage, plus a new escalator everyday issues. Evaluation showed that and staircase. the campaign was well received, but Encouraging more people to give transport a go many customers were unfamiliar with it. Around 40 more Underground and Overground stations will become In response to all the feedback, we are reach of communications and support step-free over the next 10 years, running a new wave of the campaign in from staff to encourage more people including major stations such as 2015/16. It focuses on the benefits of to give transport a go. Greenford is the 67th step-free Tube station and the Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, the improvements, and features a wider first with an incline lift Vauxhall and Victoria.
42 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 43 A new Tube for London Counting down with confidence New trains on the Metropolitan, Circle, Pedestrian Countdown at traffic signals provides Hammersmith & City lines and parts of the people who may be uncertain of when they District line are making travelling by Tube easier. should cross the road with more confidence.
The new carriages have wider doors The system shows how long somebody and walkways, dedicated spaces for has to cross the road after the green wheelchair users, a low-floor design figure light has gone out and particularly for improved access between the train benefits older and disabled people, and platform, and advanced audio and wheelchair users, people pushing visual information, providing on-board buggies and older children on their own. station announcements. It is especially useful at intersections, where there is a ‘blackout phase’ Walk-through carriages, which let between the red figure disappearing and people move to less crowded areas, the green figure appearing. The display shows how long a pedestrian has to and air conditioning make travelling cross the road more comfortable. The passenger Before Pedestrian Countdown was alarms are easier to reach, but harder introduced, research showed that around to set off unintentionally. In addition, two-thirds of pedestrians either thought, There are currently 435 sites in CCTV enables the driver to see into incorrectly, that the green man is the London with Pedestrian Countdown every car, while track-to-train video total time they had to cross and/or did installed. More than 800 crossings or links give the driver a view of the not understand the black out period. around 20 per cent of all pedestrian train exterior before leaving a station, crossings will have the technology making for a safer journey. Research this past year, with both by summer 2016, exceeding the adults and children, have been gathering Mayor’s target. At the end of August 2015, 184 out people’s views on the concept of of 192 trains were in use with the final Pedestrian Countdown and on the train expected to roll off the production potential for optimising the designs for line in January 2016. New trains are making travelling by Tube easier further versions of the system. An off- In addition, recent research has street public trial showed more than shown positive impacts of Pedestrian 85 per cent of pedestrians felt safer Countdown on traffic delays – with an and more confident when crossing the estimated vehicle delay saving of eight road with a Countdown display. per cent.
44 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 45 Bus days – a safe introduction to independent travel Using public transport can be a daunting task for many disabled Londoners, but Bus Days give people the opportunity to try out bus travel in a more relaxed, fun and informative environment.
Once a month at Dalston Junction We are currently running Bus Days in 16 transport independently and regularly. ‘The impact of independent travel station, TfL Travel Mentors, Revenue boroughs and they are the starting point A total of 1,791 people attended Bus for our students has been significant. Protection Inspectors and officers for some people to go on to use public Days in 2014/15. Previously the expectation was from the local Metropolitan Police that special needs students should Service Safer Transport Team (STT) be transported to and from their meet for Hackney Bus Day. A local special school creating dependence garage supplies the bus, and the on adults. Our students lacked participants, accompanied by TfL confidence in their ability to move staff and the STT, get on and off the independently throughout the bus at different bus stops along the borough in which they live and this route. This allows them to practise often led to difficulties for them different aspects of a bus journey when they left school, moving on to including stopping, leaving the bus, college or work. Now most of our swiping an Oyster card and engaging students travel to and from school with the driver. Participants also get to with their friends, and they are happy see information at bus stops and are and much healthier. shown how to use it. ‘We support them with travel Plain-clothed officers from the local training and this enables them to STT help by acting out scenarios about be like their peers in mainstream antisocial behaviour and let attendees schools. Oakwood students enjoy know what help is available. Uniformed the freedom of travelling on public officers are also on hand to answer any transport, foot or bike and the questions and explain what the police benefits for them are life-long.’ can do to help. Bus Days allow participants to experience different aspects of a bus journey Oakwood School, Bexley
46 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 47 Our workforce Issue: Workforce diversity monitoring Issue: Representation of disabled people in our workforce is too low Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Complete Publish our annual Human Resources (HR) We published our 2014/15 Annual Continuing Build on schemes, HR Our skills and employment schools workforce report to Workforce Monitoring Report in such as Steps into programme aims to address the scarcity ensure continued September 2015. Work and Classroom to of key skills within TfL. We increased the monitoring in areas Boardroom, to encourage number of young people participating in It details equality data covering of representation, disabled people, BAME activities to: recruitment and development, the recruitment, people and women outcomes of harassment and grievance • Provide insights into our scarce skills, development, managing into employment and cases, plus promotion statistics by gender, such as Civil Engineering, IM and performance and increase the diversity ethnicity and disability. The data covers Customer Experience employee engagement. of schoolchildren all our permanent employees in both considering • Attract young people to the transport operational and non-operational roles. technical careers. industry, including our apprenticeships Incomplete Improve the current HR We ran a pilot to increase the declaration and graduate schemes within these equality data through an rate and improve the equality data we scarce skills areas audit of the workforce have for senior managers in the Finance • Provide experiences which help young to increase declaration Directorate. This showed positive results. people develop the skills they need to rates for disability A similar approach was due to be used gain employment. and ethnicity. in Surface Transport to improve their overall equality data, but this has not We reviewed our schools activity and used yet commenced. the findings to build on our successes and engage with more schools and young people in a cost effective way. One element of our new School Skills Programme is the Schools Challenge. This involves pupils from across the Capital presenting innovative ideas for improving London’s transport network. In 2015, 180 students took part in our Schools Challenge launch events. More than 80 entered a submission to the Challenge. The programme provides fair access to work experience by linking the finalists to work experience in areas of TfL which they found interesting during the Challenge. Seventy-four per cent of the participants at the launch days were boys, 26 per cent girls, and 54 per cent were from a BAME background. Teams who reached the finals were 54 per cent boys and 46 per cent girls. In 2016, our Challenge will be open to all schools.
48 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 49 Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Complete Build on schemes, HR Seven students participated in our 2015 Complete Implement our attraction HR During 2015 we worked to attract a more such as Steps into Steps into Work programme. We are (programme strategy to maintain or diverse pool of talent through all the Work and Classroom to monitoring the employment outcomes continuing) increase the percentage mediums we use for advertising. Our Boardroom, to encourage of the eight students who completed our of disabled candidates approach included: disabled people, BAME 2014 programme. who apply for our • Introducing a tagline in our adverts people and women apprenticeship and Our partners, Barnet and Southgate about TfL wanting to recruit graduates into employment and graduate schemes. College and Remploy are leading our 2016 as diverse as the city we operate in increase the diversity Steps into Work programme. of schoolchildren • Advertising on the Great with Disability considering website and in PosAbility technical careers. • Profiling existing disabled graduates in New to SES Build on schemes, Customer Experience, We partnered with Scope, Whizz-Kidz some adverts such as Steps into Marketing and and the Royal London Society for Blind For our 2015 intake, of the 15,226 Work and Classroom to Communications People (RLSB) to launch a work experience applications two per cent declared Boardroom, to encourage scheme for their younger members. The a disability. disabled people, BAME programme has placed eight disabled people and women young people in areas across TfL, such We introduced the situational strengths into employment and as Public Affairs, Rail and Underground, test for the recruitment of our 2014/15 increase the diversity External Relations, and Tube stations. graduates and apprentices. This is an of schoolchildren important step to improving the equality We will continue to work with the charities considering of our assessment process. to find new work experience opportunities technical careers. for their younger members. This move away from written competency answers has a positive impact on social mobility and under-represented groups. As part of the 2015 National Apprenticeship Week, we held a series of events with the wider GLA family to encourage more young people to consider apprenticeships as a pathway to a fulfilling career in the transport industry. We hosted an event with our seven partner schools, where students were able to meet our current apprentices and find out what roles are on offer. Together with our supply chain, we also hosted an apprenticeship fair for young Londoners.
50 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 51 Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Complete Investigate the results HR The November 2014 Viewpoint survey Complete Implement development/ HR Our Springboard Women’s Development of the annual employee highlighted that disabled staff and those mentoring programmes Programme supports the development survey (Viewpoint) which with caring responsibilities were not as for Band 1–3 employees and progression of women in our has shown that disabled engaged as other staff. to enhance skills and organisation at support and middle staff and those with boost confidence among management level. To help address this, we set up a working caring responsibilities are BAME and disabled staff, group, made up of stakeholders from All 25 delegates on our 2014 scheme less satisfied and have and women. felt they had more self-esteem, across the business and Independent specific concerns. confidence and assertiveness as a Disability Advisory Group representatives. result of participating, and 90 per cent It is working on initiatives to ensure believed that the course would help them information and support for both groups advance in their career. These delegates is improved and that all employees have have continued to provide positive access to it. feedback on their personal progress, with secondments, promotions and The group has already delivered further education. improvements, such as the development of carers’ guidelines and improvements Thirty women are participating in the to the provision and location of key 2015 Springboard programme. information on disability and caring issues. We worked with Race for Opportunity to introduce mentoring circles for Complete Build on schemes such HR Nine students are participating in our BAME employees. as Steps into Work 2015 Steps into Work programme. We are and Classroom to monitoring the employment outcomes Feedback from mentees who participated Boardroom to encourage of the eight students who completed our in the first programme was overwhelmingly disabled people, BAME 2014 programme. positive, with more than 95 per cent saying that the circles had supported them with: people and women Our partners, Barnet and Southgate into employment and • Building confidence to progress at work College and Remploy are leading our 2016 increase the diversity Steps into Work programme. • Providing informal peer networking of schoolchildren opportunities across organisations considering We have a new careers advice website technical careers. which enables young people to explore • Gaining perspectives from other organisations to help them reflect on careers through a Plotr Game (a simple their own situation psychometric test). This matches them to potential careers, provides information • Sharing and problem-solving career about routes to these careers (including progression challenges and barriers apprenticeships, graduate schemes etc) We ran a second programme involving and highlights how their current skills Surface Transport from January 2015, and align. To date, more than 70 per cent of we will start another programme in 2016. the users are female, and the majority of We will continue to work in partnership users are aged between 14 and 21. with Coaching Squared, which delivers cross-organisational talent engagement programmes. They will run nine-month peer-to-peer coaching programmes for Band 2 and 3 employees. These are targeted at BAME, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and disabled staff and women. We are currently participating in a women’s programme and an open programme, targeted at BAME, LGBT and disabled staff. Both will run until spring 2016.
52 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 53 Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Issue: Lack of BAME staff and women in senior roles Complete Develop strategies to HR Following on from our 2014 Director Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report attract a diverse pool of Development Programme, supported by Complete Build on schemes, HR As part of the 100 Years of Women in applicants to key roles, Cass Business School, we are focusing on such as Steps into Transport (YOWIT) programme, Bechtel for instance engineering senior manager development. Over the Work and Classroom to and industry partners joined us to engage, and some senior next two years senior managers will be Boardroom, to encourage motivate and inspire future generations to management positions, participating in a similar programme. disabled people, BAME consider the contribution of an effective where there is a lack A senior women’s network has also been people and women transport system to a country’s economic, of diversity. formed, supported by Cass, with the into employment and political, military, health, career and social aim of enabling women to achieve their increase the diversity vitality, and to help get children to think potential as managers and leaders. of schoolchildren about a career in transport. We organised considering a number of events, one of which was a One of our Cass groups is working on a technical careers. Year 9 debate challenge. The teams judged leadership challenge on how to increase to be the most effective were selected to women and BAME representation at debate in front of their peers at the iconic leadership level in TfL. Proposals are due House of Lords. to be presented to the TfL Leadership team in March 2016. Twenty two Royal Greenwich University Technical College students undertook A TfL-wide talent framework called work experience placements with Schools Maximising Potential, which includes Champions who volunteered as part of unconscious bias, has been developed. our 100 Years of Women in Transport It will initially be rolled out to all campaign. Fifty per cent of these students senior managers. were girls. Data on visible characteristics (age, gender To help us to develop our schools and ethnicity) is available. programme further, we are investigating Complete An attraction strategy is HR During 2015 we worked to attract a more what children and teachers feel would be in place to maintain or diverse pool of talent through all the useful to guide Year 7 pupils, especially increase the percentage mediums we use for advertising. Our girls, towards appropriate careers. of disabled candidates approach included: Complete Develop strategies to HR Following on from our 2014 Director who apply for our • Introducing a tagline in our adverts attract a diverse pool of Development Programme, supported by apprenticeship and about TfL wanting to recruit graduates applicants to key roles, Cass Business School, we are focusing on graduate schemes. as diverse as the city we operate in for instance engineering senior manager development. Over the and some senior next two years senior managers will be • Advertising on the Great with Disability management positions, participating in a similar programme. website, and in PosAbility where there is a lack A senior women’s network has also been • Profiling existing disabled graduates in of diversity. formed, supported by Cass, with the some adverts aim of enabling women to achieve their For our 2015 intake, of the 15,226 potential as managers and leaders. applications two per cent declared One of our Cass groups is working on a a disability. leadership challenge on how to increase women and BAME representation at leadership level in TfL. Proposals are due to be presented to the TfL Leadership team in March 2016. A TfL-wide talent framework called Maximising Potential, which includes unconscious bias, has been developed. It will initially be rolled out to all senior managers. Data on visible characteristics (age, gender and ethnicity) is available.
54 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 55 Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report New to SES Increase representation HR We ran a positive action initiative with the Complete Implement our attraction HR During 2015 we worked to attract a more of BAME staff on House of Commons (HoC) in the form of (programme strategy to maintain or diverse pool of talent through all the leadership and a secondment opportunity. Following a continuing) increase the percentage mediums we use for advertising. Our development rigorous recruitment process, two of our of women and BAME approach included: programmes. employees from BAME backgrounds are candidates who apply for • Introducing a tagline in our adverts about participating in a 12-month secondment at our apprenticeship and TfL wanting to recruit graduates as diverse as the city we operate in the HoC. graduate schemes. • Advertising in Black History Magazine • Profiling existing graduates from BAME Issue: Improvements to development opportunities and support for career progression backgrounds in some adverts • Visiting more than 70 events, including a Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report number of targeted universities with an ethnically diverse population of students; Complete Build on schemes, HR We have a new careers advice website among them Queen Mary London, such as Steps into which enables young people to explore Greenwich, Westminster, Southbank, Work and Classroom to careers through a Plotr Game (a simple Leeds, Aston, Birmingham, Leicester, UCL Boardroom, to encourage psychometric test) which dynamically and Imperial College London disabled people, BAME matches them to potential careers, For our 2015 intake, of the 15,226 people and women provides information about routes to applications 43 per cent were from a BAME into employment and these careers (including apprenticeships, background and 29 per cent were women. increase the diversity graduate schemes, etc) and highlights how To attract more women, we showcased of schoolchildren their current skills level aligns. To date, women from our schemes and the considering more than 70 per cent of the users are organisation in publications and held technical careers. female, and the majority of users are aged specific skills events for women in between 14 and 21. engineering. Our work with some marketing agencies, such as Bright Futures, focused We continued to run our Inspire on targeting university societies with large Engineering programme, supported by numbers of women members. Science, Technology, Engineering and For our 2016 intake, we will use our current Maths (STEM) Ambassadors. Siemens graduates as ambassadors for our schemes now co-sponsors the programme. Since and use their profiles to encourage further applications. We will also advertise on 2009 more than 6,000 young people have graduate-women.com and on a new platform taken part in Inspire and Primary Inspire called STEM graduates, which enables us to workshops. Based on sample data 52 per target emails to women applicants. cent of attendees of Inspire (secondary We introduced the situational strengths test pre-GCSE) were girls. for the recruitment of our 2014/15 graduates We continued to support National and apprentices. This is an important step to improving the equality of our assessment Women in Engineering Day and ran Inspire process. This move away from written workshops close to it. competency answers has a positive impact on social mobility and under-represented groups. As part of the 2015 National Apprenticeship Week, we held a series of events with the wider GLA family to encourage more young people to consider apprenticeships as a pathway to a fulfilling career in the transport industry. We hosted an event with our seven partner schools, where students were able to meet our current apprentices and find out what roles are on offer. Together with our supply chain, we also hosted an apprenticeship fair for young Londoners.
56 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 57 Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Complete Implement development/ HR Our Springboard Women’s Development Complete Develop longer-term HR We rolled out our talent framework, (programme mentoring programmes Programme supports the development and career and succession called Maximising Potential, to all senior continuing) for Band 1–3 employees progression of women in our organisation planning for key roles managers. We included succession to enhance skills and at support and middle management level. and functions. planning and workforce planning in boost confidence among All 25 delegates on our 2014 scheme this framework. BAME and disabled staff, felt they had more self-esteem, Incomplete Introduce a new equality HR Our updated Valuing People training and women. confidence and assertiveness as a result of training programme to course is open to all staff, and is now participating. Ninety per cent believed the increase understanding mandatory for new joiners and new course would help them advance in their of the positive impact of people managers. career. These delegates have continued to diversity and inclusion in provide positive feedback on their personal Work on the following plans did not start the workplace. progress, with secondments, promotions in 2015 as planned: and further education. • Adapting the Valuing People training to Thirty women participated in the 2015 help staff connect what they learn on Springboard programme. the course with their personal objectives We worked with Race for Opportunity and our TfL behaviours to introduce mentoring circles for BAME • Identifying ways to ensure our line employees. managers discuss the importance of Feedback from mentees who participated the course with their staff before in the first programme was overwhelmingly they attend positive, with more than 95 per cent saying In 2014/15, 1,300 employees attended the that the circles had supported them with: Valuing People course. • Building confidence to progress at work • Providing informal peer networking opportunities across organisations • Gaining perspectives from other organisations to help them reflect on their own situation • Sharing and problem-solving career progression challenges and barriers We ran a second programme involving Surface Transport from January 2015, and we will start another programme in 2016. We will continue to work in partnership with Coaching Squared, which delivers cross-organisational talent engagement programmes. They will run nine-month peer-to-peer coaching programmes for Band 2 and 3 employees. These are targeted at BAME, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and disabled staff and women. We participated in a women’s programme and an open programme, targeted at BAME, LGBT and disabled staff. Both will run until spring 2016.
58 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 59 Embedding equality training We value our customers and care about their experience.
As our customers have different It covers issues such as hidden needs we have developed equality and disabilities, accessibility and using customer service training for all our appropriate verbal and non-verbal Underground staff as part of our Fit for communication with different the Future Stations programme. customers in various scenarios. These sessions are also designed to raise We want all customers to be safe and employee awareness of the barriers to get a reliable service from us – and that prevent different groups, including to think of us as friendly, thoughtful disabled people and vulnerable people, and helpful. Even if there are problems using London Underground on an equal with our service, being friendly and basis. They also help them to identify available to customers goes a long way how best to address these barriers to reassure them. The five-day training when responding to customers. course uses a mixture of table top learning, practice-based exercises and workshops to bring different scenarios Equality training for our customer service staff to life.
The training includes dedicated ‘Our Fit for the Future Stations programme is improving our customers’ experience modules delivered by Transport for All on our network and the working experience of our staff. We value our customers and and Inclusion London on increasing care about their journey experience. Our employees are building their knowledge and staff knowledge and confidence in skills to provide exceptional customer service to all our customers, including those meeting the needs of disabled and who are disabled. Feedback from our staff shows that they are finding it engaging, vulnerable customers, as well as those relevant and informative.’ with accessibility needs. Xavier Brice, Head of Fit for the Future Stations Programme, London Underground
60 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 61 Getting the right experience We partnered with Scope, Whizz-Kidz and the Royal London Society for Blind People (RLSB) to create a work experience scheme at TfL.
Our disability work experience all really impressed with his enthusiasm scheme launched in February 2015, and the conscientiousness he applied to following a successful internal tasks to support the team.’ communications campaign to raise awareness among staff. Azar said: ‘Where do I start? My two- week work placement with TfL has Eight disabled young people have been been an incredible and a memorable placed in various departments across experience. I enjoyed so many things TfL. We are continuing to work with the while I was working with TfL – going to charities to find new work experience different meetings and learning how opportunities for their young members. different executives of TfL dealt with hard questions.’ Azar Ali, a member of Scope, worked with our Public Affairs and Stakeholder Lucia Raticova, from Whizz-Kidz, Engagement team. worked with the London Underground Investment Communication Team. She Helen Deakin, Stakeholder Engagement said: ‘I must admit that just before the Manager, said: ‘During the placement, start of my work experience at TfL I was Azar spent time with different members quite nervous. It was my first ever work of the Public Affairs team to find out experience and I learnt a lot about the more about their roles and to shadow company and also the city. I attended them. As he is currently studying for a number of interesting meetings and a degree in Business Management & put together a range of articles, script Entrepreneurship at the University of preparations and posters. Most of all Westminster, Azar focused on supporting I got to meet some great people and I our engagement with business. We were will miss them all.’ We have established a work experience scheme for disabled young people
62 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 63 Employment opportunities for injured ex-service personnel We have been working with The Poppy Factory, an organisation that supports and provides employment opportunities to injured ex-service personnel.
After serving in the Royal Navy, skills I had amassed over the years Jackson Simatei joined us as a Project in the Royal Navy were transferable Support Officer on a six-month work to my new role of a Project Support placement. With many transferable Officer. The guidance, support and skills he quickly became a valued training I received, from my mentors member of Surface Transport’s and staff in PPD, has been second to Projects & Programmes Directorate none, and this enabled me to succeed delivery team and secured a permanent in securing my current role. I look position as an Assistant Project forward to helping other veterans and Manager. He is currently helping to serving members of HM Forces to deliver the Upper Holloway Bridge integrate into TfL in the future.’ refurbishment project as part of our £116m Structures & Tunnels Chad Frankish, Programme Manager, Investment Programme. Structures & Tunnels Investment Programme, Surface Transport Jackson said: ‘After an impeccable said: ‘Jackson has proved to be an nine-year service in the Royal Navy, outstanding and dedicated member my transition back to the civilian of the team. He has consistently world was a massive challenge. It has demonstrated all the behaviours that always been my aspiration to work in TfL expects and always goes the extra London, the greatest city in the world. mile to exceed in the tasks that he is The opportunity to undertake the given. Jackson is a real asset to the six-month work placement within the team and to TfL in general.’ Projects & Programmes Directorate (PPD) was one I could not miss. I immediately discovered that the Jackson Simatei joined TfL after nine years in the Royal Navy
64 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 65 Human Resources policy development and
implementation Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Issue: The potential for different ways of working could be improved Complete Promote flexible working HR In January 2014 we introduced a job share across the organisation register which allows staff to register their Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report interest in finding a job share partner. Complete Introduce a consistent HR We now have a consistent Since its launch more than 80 people performance performance management process, have either uploaded their details or management process. guidance and documentation. viewed the register. In response to feedback from London A review of the register resulted in the Underground (LU) employees on the following recommendations: performance review form, we have • Increasing employee communications included an operational competence. about job sharing Since April 2015, LU employees have • Clarifying the process been using the updated form and supporting guidance materials (optional • Making the online job share register for operational staff). This means, that for easier to use the first time, the entire organisation is The HR Leadership team is reviewing these recording performance and development recommendations. conversations on the same paperwork that highlights our strategy and values. The process is enabling consistent Issue: Our policies need to be implemented consistently across the organisation and meaningful performance reviews, with improved support for employee Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report development. We will evaluate feedback Complete Improve performance HR We introduced Managing Essentials, a from employees to determine whether the management through toolkit for managers, to establish and materials need to be changed or updated. initiatives such as improve line manager capability. It is being Complete Improve performance HR We have introduced a new coaching coaching and mentoring. rolled out to all people managers. management through framework for senior managers, which Continuing Ensure that staff HR We have tracked employee feedback initiatives such as provides greater emphasis on evaluation feedback can be used on policies and training from People coaching and mentoring. and development planning. It is provided to shape future training Management Advisors and HR by ASK Europe, and is aligned to our and policies. Business Partners. senior manager development programme, We have produced a two-year which begins with a behaviourally-based strategic demand plan for learning 360 degree exercise. All managers receive and development. It is aligned to our a report and coaching, and can see how business priorities and is designed to raise others experience their approach to performance management standards, being Fair and Consistent (one of our build strong teams, develop leaders and corporate behaviours). ensure succession plans are in place. We produced a theme analysis report for Our development and training courses Pay Band 5 staff which highlighted good are being mapped to the TfL behaviours, scores for Fair and Consistent. which will widen the scope for including Continuing Increase the use of online HR We are piloting the online performance equality elements. systems to record the management system (Success Factors). results of performance It is anticipated that the greater levels Issue: Create a more inclusive workplace reviews and any relevant of transparency and clarity it brings will improvement plans lead to a more consistent approach Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report to performance and development Complete Annual publication HR We republished our annual faith calendar assessment for both individual and of a faith calendar on online in November 2015 and promoted team performance. our intranet. it to staff. It helps create an awareness of faith and cultural issues affecting employees and customers across the business.
66 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 67 Issue: There needs to be visible progress towards salary equality Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Continuing Continue equal pay HR We continued to undertake audits and implement equal pay audits and implement any recommendations. related recommendations. Complete Identify and provide HR We introduced Pay for Performance meaningful analysis on arrangements for Band 1–3 employees any pay differentials (and those on equivalent grades) and among employees in for overtime. This should help to reduce equality target groups. disparities in the levels of base salaries paid to employees undertaking the Share the equal pay same or similar roles. report with stakeholder target groups.
Issue: The approach to reasonable adjustments across the organisation is inconsistent Activity status Activity TfL lead Progress report Continuing Embed the reasonable HR We are building awareness and adjustment process and understanding of our adjustment ensure best practice is process through: shared by: • Regular employee communications • Improving managers’ • A streamlined online e-form process for abilities to identify employees and managers and implement appropriate, reasonable • Workshops and one-to-one advice to adjustments for staff highlight managers’ responsibilities • Providing support The Staff Network Group for Disability and training to drafted a framework of potential People Management reasonable adjustments which can Adviser specialists stimulate conversation between line so they can advise managers and employees. It is designed on issues associated to establish consistent implementation with reasonable of reasonable adjustments and will adjustments enable managers to work towards increasing the number of disabled • Developing a network employees in our organisation. of managers with specific expertise so they can advise on the reasonable adjustment policy and process • Recording relevant information using our online systems
68 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 69 Our Staff Network Groups celebrate 10 years Here at TfL, we have six Staff Network Groups – Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic (BAME), Carers, Disability, Faith & Wellbeing, OUTbound (LGBT) and Women.
Set up in 2005, these groups have The Faith & Wellbeing group has played actively supported employees across an important role by ensuring our staff TfL and contributed to the success of canteens offer halal and vegetarian our organisation. options, as well as consulting on the placement of quiet rooms for prayer The achievements of the groups are and reflection. numerous and their input in shaping our equality and inclusion agenda has OUTbound has been consulted resulted in changes that have seen the on a number of our guidelines, wellbeing of our people improve. including those related to transgender employees, as well as organising the For example, the BAME group has Ride with Pride campaign. Finally, supported its members to help them the Women group has highlighted navigate our competency interview the issues that women face in the system, ensuring they are better able to workplace and has successfully lobbied progress in our organisation. The Carers and advised on a number of initiatives, group has raised awareness among including childcare vouchers, our managers, helping them to better harassment policy and guidelines on understand how they can support flexible working. staff with caring responsibilities. The Disability group has focused on The groups’ latest achievement was improving how reasonable adjustments their collaboration on a film that are managed as well as setting up the captured the benefits of being a peer support network WellMent, which member of these staff groups and this focuses on mental health issues. will be shown at induction events for new employees. Staff Network Groups 10 year anniversary celebration
70 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 71 Carers guidance Our Carers Staff Network Group, together with feedback from our staff survey, has made it clear that the growing number of staff who have caring responsibilities need more support and guidance.
We produced Carers guidelines, to The guidelines were launched at a provide greater clarity to line managers staff event to mark Carers Week in and staff on our approach towards June 2015 and we will be monitoring supporting anyone who has caring feedback over the coming months. Peter Bush, Carers Staff Network Group member, and his son Joe responsibilities. They also signpost people to additional sources of A significant contribution towards information and support. producing the guidelines was made ‘Recognising that I could not continue to work full-time and be able to do by Peter Bush, Senior Employee everything I needed to do as a carer was the first key step in getting my life back Our key aim is to help carers and their Relations Manager. Peter also spoke at together; formalising my reduced hours was important. As a manager, I felt guilty managers work together to manage the event, about his own experience every time I was not able to get into the office, or had to leave early; it felt like the balance between caring and as primary carer for his son, bringing I was always letting my team and the business down. As soon as I reduced my employment responsibilities, and to home to many people the significant hours to three days a week, a huge weight lifted from my shoulders, and I was acknowledge the demands caring can impact caring can have. His talk also able to start planning for and tackling the challenges I faced. I now feel less make on working life. The guidelines highlighted how important it is for stressed, more in control, and more productive’. set out what an employee needs to many people to be able to continue in do and offer line managers relevant their career, while caring for relatives It is easy for employers to find reasons to reject requests for reduced working information to help them support or friends. hours. That would have placed me in an impossible situation. I am therefore their staff. They also highlight the appreciative and pleased that my managers felt able to test the water in allowing many forms caring can take and the me to reduce my working days. The alternative would, I fear, have been importance of establishing a climate in resignation, something that continues to be a pressure on other people who which the carer can feel it is normal to suddenly find themselves facing long-term caring responsibilities. discuss caring issues. As part of my work with the Disabled and Carers working group, my primary concern was to ensure that TfL gives a clear steer to its managers that they should seek to find solutions that enable individuals to continue working here. Surely, that can only be to the benefit of all of us’. Peter Bush, Senior Employee Relations Manager
72 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 73 Working without hatred or fear World events and messages from the tabloid press, regarding behaviours of extremist groups, create strong emotions among people in the UK.
We wish to provide an inclusive working Hena said: ‘The event, entitled ‘It was a really impressive line-up of environment for all our employees. Working without hatred or fear, was a speakers, and great questions and However we are aware that what brilliant way of engaging with staff and discussion with the audience, a really happens in the world outside has an senior management about perceived positive atmosphere’. impact on us. We consider it important negativity around particular faiths in the Ben Plowden, Director of Surface to continue to support people through workplace, and how media portrayals Strategy & Planning and sponsor difficult and challenging times. can impact this. It was very informative of the Faith & Wellbeing Staff and brought to light just how supportive Network Group Our Faith & Wellbeing Staff Network and diverse TfL is as an employer, Group worked with Muslim Engagement organising and enabling such an event and Development (MEND) to organise to take place’. an event aimed at informing our workforce about how UK Muslims We know, from our latest staff viewed these world events. The group engagement survey, that staff who believes a better informed workforce have declared they are Muslims are should make for a better workplace for as, or more, engaged than staff from everybody. The event included MEND’s other faiths. Anecdotal evidence also exhibition, which focused on Muslims indicates that Muslims feel proud to who are key role models in UK society, work for TfL. The purpose of the event and the tabloid press interpretation was to encourage more dialogue and of world events. Speakers provided discussion between our employees on information on hate crime in general an informal basis. and Islamophobia, particularly in the UK. Hena Siddiqui, a TfL staff member, spoke about her experience as a Muslim Hena Siddiqui working for us.
74 Single Equality Scheme 2015 progress report Single Equality Scheme 2012-2015 75 Notes
76 Notes © Transport for London Windsor House 42 – 50 Victoria Street London SW1H 0TL December 2015 tfl.gov.uk DJ15084_SESProgressReport_151215