Free copy OnFor your Southeastern journeyBoardSpring/Summer 2017 Here to help Passenger satisfaction has increased Plus Things to do this summer Keeping you safe Performance statistics: how did your service perform? The Key benefits 1. Safe Replace your lost Key card without any hassle. 2. Quick Tap in and out, and avoid queuing for tickets. 3. Sturdy Because it’s plastic, it’ll withstand wear and tear. 4. Rewarding Register online for offers. For more details about The Key please visit: southeasternrailway.co.uk/thekey 9519-SE The Key On Board Magazine Advert [260x200mm].indd 1 13/04/2017 16:42 On Board. April 2017 – September 2017 Hello, With summer finally here, our network has plenty to offer every type of traveller, whatever your taste or budget. There is lots to do and see in the towns, villages, countryside and coastlines of our beautiful region. If you turn to pages 8 and 9, you can find some ideas for day trips to some of our favourite spots. And when you’re travelling with us this summer, you should always feel Contents safe and secure, so why not learn more What our network about how we’re improving passenger can offer safety and our work with the British Transport Police on page 14 and 15. Results from January’s National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) are in and show your satisfaction with our trains and stations is now at a three-year high, with a seven per cent increase. Not only that, we’re seeing improvements in areas across the board – we’ve got all the details on pages 6 and 7. You can also find out about our work in and around local communities as well as updates on station improvements and information about how work on the The Key Thameslink Programme could further affect you and your journeys this summer. benefits And while you’re here, take a look at our performance and punctuality figures, as well as details of station 1. Safe opening hours should you need them. Replace your lost Key card without All this and more from page 19. any hassle. Editor 2. Quick Tap in and out, and avoid queuing for tickets. 3. Sturdy 4 Helping our passengers 14 In safe hands Because it’s plastic, it’ll withstand wear Learn more about how we are Improving your safety at our stations and tear. making travelling easier 16 Community spirit 6 Survey results Stories from our communities 4. Rewarding Disclaimer The opinions expressed in this guide are not The latest results are in – and we’re 18 Upgrades Register online for offers. necessarily those of Southeastern. Editorial seeing improvements across the board Your update on the Thameslink about Southeastern products and services 8 Summer trips Programme and more may not include all of the applicable terms For more details about The Key please visit: and conditions. Visit southeasternrailway. Explore some of the things to do and see 19 Performance southeasternrailway.co.uk/thekey co.uk call 0345 322 7021 or write to on our network this summer Statistics, punctuality and opening Southeastern Customer Relations, P O Box 10 Lewisham derailment hours 10422, Unit 16, Coalfield Way, Ashby-de-la- Zouch LE65 9EL. Registered in England How we worked with Network Rail to get (CN 4860660) Southeastern is part of Govia, services back up and running a joint-venture between Go-Ahead Group plc and Keolis UK ltd. Produced by beetroot. beetroot.co.uk 0207 749 0180 Spring/Summer 2017 33 9519-SE The Key On Board Magazine Advert [260x200mm].indd 1 13/04/2017 16:42 Travelling on our network Lending a helping hand We’re investing in our network to help you on your journey aking travelling easier you with better information. A group travel office for school parties, and safer is really Yvonne Quinn, Customer Relations available for children up to the age of 17 important to us. Manager, said: “We care about As part of our £70 our passengers, so we’re always million improvement working at new ways of doing things Mpackage, we’ve been able to refurbish to make travelling with us as easy stations, refresh our trains and provide as possible.” Travel support Launched our own ‘Baby cards for people on board’ badges who have hidden disabilities – Assistance for available online people who need or at our stations help getting around our stations, and on and off a train Modified our trains to put in more priority seating, wheelchair space and accessible toilets We’re giving our employees training to better support people with dementia and we’ve hosted a sign language workshop at Victoria station Improved information at stations Launched our Priority Seating card with more than 600 people already signed up 4 On Board Rail Care Team member Steven Norfolk in a training exercise We’ve created a network at Bexley map showing status information, including staff levels, step free access and the facilities available Made physical improvements to stations including handrails, highlighted stair nosings, accessible toilets and ticket windows Showing just how much we care Launched The Key – a new smart card for Weekly, Monthly or Annual season tickets Our Rail Incident Care Team are we’re doing a lot to prevent incidents here to help. Their role is to support happening on the railway. But when anyone who has been affected they do happen, we pull together by an incident on or around the and help each other. And if we’re railway. needed by passengers at a different All members of the team are station ran by a different train volunteers and provide short-term company we’ll still be there. practical and emotional support for “It’s so worthwhile and really passengers affected by incidents. rewarding for all the team.” Introduced PayPal as an This can include arranging and For Partnership Manager Nina online payment paying for accommodation, travel Peak, her first job as a Rail Care option and replacement of lost or damaged Team member was to comfort a personal items. 12-year-old girl who went into Kevin Campbell, High Speed shock after hearing her train had Dropped Driver and Rail Care Team Manager hit someone. admin costs said: “For most of our volunteers, “I called her mum, spoke to her from most refunds the day job is very different to this school and accompanied her home,” one. Hence they are given a lot said Nina. of training to help them manage “There are huge rewards for doing some of the situations they may find this job, both in knowing you have themselves in.” helped someone at a traumatic time The team has been running since in their lives, and for the affect it has 2007 and currently has around 32 on yourself and the way you deal members who could be called out with things. The training I’ve had Improved our Delay Repay compensation any time of the day or night. has really helped me manage some options. These now include BACS, PayPal, eVouchers, cashable vouchers, cheque, Kevin added: “As an industry, difficult personal situations.” Visa or Mastercard Spring/Summer 2017 5 Passenger satisfaction On the rise Improvements across our network are having a positive effect he results of the latest “These results are because of all the National Rail Passenger investment being made in stations, Survey (NRPS) are in and it trains and information across our shows that the £70 million network. We’ve developed a much investment we’re making in stronger working relationship with Tyour network is being noticed. Network Rail. The latest NRPS results released by “We’re committed to improving our independent watchdog Transport performance and making our services Focus in January 2017 showed that better for our passengers.” overall passenger satisfaction is now at a three-year high. The headlines Passenger satisfaction now sits at 77 And it’s not just our overall satisfaction per cent – that’s a seven per cent – we’ve seen improvements in many increase on the previous survey different areas. published in June 2016. Compared to the survey last June, Southeastern’s Managing Director satisfaction with our stations has risen David Statham said: “We know there’s by eight per cent to 78 per cent, which a lot more to do, but we’re pleased that follows a significant investment in we‘re heading in the right direction. refurbishing and repainting all 165 “We’ve been investing millions of stations managed by us. pounds across our network, at all of Following a £500,000 programme our stations, on all our trains, on things to install ticket vending machines our passengers have asked us to in every station as well as the roll- improve – like information and ticket- out of our new smart card, The Key, buying facilities – and it’s reassuring satisfaction with ticket buying that this survey shows passengers have facilities has improved by five per cent noticed the difference. to 77 per cent. 6 On Board “We know there’s a lot more to do, but we’re Satisfaction with information has increased by six per cent to 81 per pleased that we’re cent. This success follows investment in heading in the right real-time information, including digital display screens, and 300 extra frontline direction” employees who’ve had additional customer service training. We’re working on refurbishing one third of our entire fleet, including deep cleaning carriages, improving toilet facilities and employing new on-board cleaners. This has been reflected in an eight per cent increase in overall passenger satisfaction with our trains. And the helpfulness and attitude of our employees has been recognised by customers surveyed with an increase of nine per cent.