21492_NEW_p1_rev.qxd 2/11/07 10:36 Page 1 Moving on to the next level Richard Bowker examines the Group’s successes and future outlook InterCity East Coast New rail franchise is awarded to National Express Family travel by coach Children take centre stage express NOVEMBER 2007 FOR EMPLOYEES OF NATIONAL EXPRESS GROUP PLC What’s in a brand? National Express Group rebrands 21492 Beetroot_p2-5.qxd 2/11/07 13:48 Page 2 02 UPFRONT CONTENTS MARKET WATCH The latest UK Government 07 The kids are all right 07 How National Express Coaches is White Paper on rail, leading the way in family travel Delivering a Sustainable Railway, sets out its 08 Welcome to National Express investment plans to enable East Coast… future growth on the UK rail What lies ahead for the prestigious network. After record levels InterCity East Coast rail franchise of growth – 40 per cent – 10 Moving on to the next level from 1997-2006, the Group Chief Executive Richard Bowker Government has established explains his vision for the Group a strategy to address 12 The smarter airport transfer 12 capacity increases and service overcrowding. Its ambition is express unveils a new product that’s for a railway that: making travel simpler for visitors to • can handle double today’s London traffic 13 Cream of the crop • is even safer, more reliable express reveals the nominations and efficient than today for the 2007 Express Awards • can cater for a more diverse, affluent and 14 How we’re shrinking our demanding population 15 carbon footprint… • has reduced its carbon Nick Coad, Head of Group Environmental footprint and improved Strategy, explains the Group’s current environmental environmental stance performance. 15 A day in the life of: To meet these objectives Ian Allison, ‘one’ Chef and Duty Catering it is planning to invest Manager £10 billion in enhancing 16 Taking the responsible route capacity from 2009-2014. How Group employees are enhancing Major projects include quality of life in their communities funding an additional 1,300 18 On the ball carriages; the £5.5 billion Football Association (FA) Chief Executive Thameslink programme; a Brian Barwick reveals the FA’s community £600 million congestion- impact, plus Gary Neville talks about his busting programme at travel experiences Reading and Birmingham 20 Learning the Alsa way New Street stations; a £150 million station Graduate trainee Davina Bajorek 16 modernisation programme examines working life in Spain and £200 million to develop CONTACTS a strategic rail freight network. National Express Group PLC Managing editor: Spain Other initiatives include 75 Davies Street, London W1K 5HT Alison Flynn Pablo Gómera +34 9 17 54 65 06 +44 (0)20 7529 2000 +44 (0)20 7529 2040 [email protected] smartcard ticketing, setting www.nationalexpressgroup.com [email protected] North America targets for carbon footprint For career opportunities Local contacts: Tiffini Bloniaraz +1 630 435 8048 refer to UK [email protected] reductions and advanced www.nationalexpress.com/nx/cc Katie Wilcock, London +44 (0)20 7529 2036 preparatory work on a new express is published for [email protected] Intercity Express train and National Express Group employees new signalling systems. 21492 Beetroot_p2-5.qxd 30/10/07 19:24 Page 3 03 NEWS REBRANDING IN BRIEF RECOGNITION FOR US National Express rolls out new brand LYNCHPIN National Express Group is taking the 500 UK brands for 2007/8 ahead of device called “connections” – a series of opportunity to lead the UK transport Waitrose, Virgin Trains, Flora, Hotpoint silver lines linking separate dots, market by developing its brand. and Body Shop. It is this status that the symbolising customer “touch points”. All the Group’s UK companies will Group is now building on to extend The Group is also focused on delivering come together under one umbrella those brand benefits to its rail and bus an improved proposition and new look, brand that the company believes will operations, and to help develop its so that customers experience high quality help drive new and improved profile as it becomes more customer customer service and see a tangible relationships with customers and and marketing focused. The new logo is improvement, not just a new logo. employees and deliver better business an evolution of the famous coach Group Chief Executive Richard John Elliott, benefits. identity, which has been brought up to Bowker says: “While we are proud of Executive Vice The move follows a full review of the date with a new font but retains the our ‘new look,’ rebranding is not just President, Service Delivery, North company’s brands and includes research iconic red, white and blue colours. about liveries and logos. The revitalised America for with more than 2,000 consumers and The new design, developed by the brand will be both a symbol and National Express 250 internal stakeholders including Group with external consultants CHI expression of our commitment to our Corporation, employees at every level in the Group. and other experts, features the words customers. Rebranding will bring huge recently gained National Express’s familiar coach national express using an attractive, benefits across the business, as it will recognition for brand is already a household name. It contemporary font which, for most give the Group greater visibility among his long-term has just achieved Superbrand status for Group businesses, will be followed by partners and stakeholders.” contribution to the second successive year and was the operating name. This will be Rebranding will start in most the National School ranked 294th in the list of official top complemented by an additional livery businesses by early 2008. Transportation Association of SUPERLOO FOR COACHES WEST MIDLANDS TRAVEL PARTNERSHIP America (NSTA), the only national organisation representing the Pause for New bus partnership for interests of private school thought West Midlands transportation members that In today’s fast-moving world, when manage the every second counts, 67 per cent of transportation of people claim to have inspirational ideas students to and from schools on or brainwaves on the toilet, according to behalf of US school research commissioned by National bus boards. Express Coaches. He has been The survey also showed 64 per cent named by School have read a book, 57 per cent have had Bus Fleet magazine a telephone conversation and one in 12 as its Contractor of people have read their BlackBerry while the Year for 2007. on the loo. These toilet tales were unearthed WE’RE during research the company undertook ETHICALLY DRIVEN as part of the development of a new loo National Express for its latest tri-axle coaches. Group has been The finished product is a unique, cited as one of luxury coach toilet which is brighter, L-R: Group Chief Executive Richard Bowker with Geoff Inskip Britain’s top ethical more spacious and more appealing. companies, having It features light emitting diode (LED) Travel West Midlands (TWM) and as the provision of 149 new, plus a been placed 14th mood lighting, a window, an air Centro, the West Midlands Passenger number of refurbished, bus shelters. out of the best replacement system, a mirror, plus Transport Executive, have signed a The improved services are backed by 20 firms in the automatic taps, an air dryer and liquid voluntary partnership agreement to a Passenger Charter, which gives TWM Financial soap dispenser to ensure the highest further improve bus services in the customers an outline of what they can Times/Stock Exchange 350 list hygiene standards are maintained. region. The agreement covers the 1, 377, expect from their service. for ethical issues. It also has rounded corners and a 451, 934, 993 and 997 routes through Geoff Inskip, Chief Executive of The rating is minimalist layout that makes it very Birmingham, Walsall and West Centro-WMPTA, says: “Passengers want based on a survey easy to clean. Bromwich which will see faster and more frequent services that are safe, compiled by the The toilet has been developed by the more frequent services. affordable, clean and accessible. Ethical Investment National Express engineering team in Passengers will also benefit from an Through this partnership, we will work Research Service in conjunction with external design enhanced bus cleaning regime, new and together to provide high-quality services conjunction with consultants Blake Cotterill and refurbished vehicles, on-board CCTV and which should enable us to grow Co-operative Portuguese company, Alma Design. real-time bus stop information, as well patronage.” Investments. 21492 Beetroot_p2-5.qxd 2/11/07 10:47 Page 4 04 NEWS Family travel improvements – turn to page 7 IN BRIEF NEW VEHICLE ORDER COMMUTER COACH £69 million investment paves the Commuting the way for sustained improvement green way A brand new service has been launched by National Express Coaches to tempt London-bound commuters to use a coach to get to work. ALSA Commuter Coach runs from Milton LAUNCHES Keynes to Canary Wharf, with drop-off M-TICKETS points at six convenient central Alsa is now offering London locations. its customers the With lower carbon emissions per option of buying passenger kilometre than equivalent tickets by mobile phone. journeys by car or train, the new By keying-in service is an altogether greener option alsamovil.es on their for commuters, who will be able to mobile phone and spend valuable time on board either entering departure relaxing or working. point, type of ticket The coaches feature luxurious required, reclining leather seats, an at-seat desk destination and and power socket, free wi-fi and daily dates and preferred newspapers which have been time of departure, provided to ensure the journey is as the customer only has to enter their State-of-the-art new buses and and full accessibility for all customers – comfortable, stress-free and personal data, BUS coaches are now entering service on including wheelchair users – in the productive as possible.