Your questions answered
On this page we will post questions put to the Panel by customers with a short response from c2c managers.
Does staff training cover disability and equality awareness?
Training programmes for staff have been reviewed and the induction process in particular is now much more comprehensive, with a new focus on equality. Disability training is currently under development, through discussions with DfT and disability advisors.
Have the new trains delivered the promised faster journey times?
End to end journey times are actually the same as they were in 1998, but with the introduction of additional calls at the new West Ham station and more trains stopping at Limehouse, which add up to 5 minutes into the journey. The characteristics of the route prevent the full 100mph capability of the class 357 units being used.
What sort of reward and recognition schemes does c2c operate to motivate staff?
c2c publishes a weekly newsletter which goes out electronically to all staff. A copy will be sent to the panel. There is an ‘Employee of the Month’ award, nominated by staff themselves, very often prompted by a good example of customer service. Staff receive ‘On the Spot’ awards from managers to reward positive actions that benefit customers, and the company runs regular ‘Commitment to Customers’ events on the route, at which staff are presented with awards certificates. c2c recommends its staff for further recognition through the National Express Awards and other industry awards. In the past year, these have produced successes for both teams and individuals within the business.
What are the long term prospects for growth and how will c2c meet the challenge?
Strong growth is predicted for this route over the next 10-15 years, as a result of regeneration and development along the Thames Gateway corridor. The need to provide more capacity is recognised in the government’s High Level Outputs Statement (HLOS), which will provide enhancements like 12-car platforms and resignalling at West Ham. DfT is currently analysing c2c’s proposal for a franchise extension from 2011 to 2013, which includes proposals for additional rolling stock to relieve overcrowding problems and give scope to meet growth. We await a decision on the extension later in the year.
What lessons have been learned from the 02/04/07 disruptions?
These disruptions led to a specific inquiry which in turn has produced a joint c2c / Network Rail / London Underground action plan. A related initiative on communicating with customers (C-COMMS) has changed the way that information is sent out from the control centre in times of disruption. All disruptive incidents are now reviewed immediately on an internal basis and procedures modified on the basis of lessons learned. It is proposed that in future the panel will contribute to this review process.
Can the internal layout of class 357 units be improved – more toilets and 2+2 seating?
These issues have been reviewed in the context of franchise extension proposals, but the clear guidance from DfT is to maximize the number of seats available. There are no plans to change from 3+2 seating, nor to increase the toilet accommodation. The potential for additional grab rails at certain points will however be investigated.
Noted that often there are no toilets available or open on stations
There has recently been a programme of improvements to station toilets. They are generally open for the duration of booking office hours, but in some cases they may need a key for access to reduce the incidence of anti-social behaviour.
Inconsistencies in performance of on-train air-conditioning or information systems
Class 357 units are very sophisticated pieces of kit and have numerous computers on board to monitor and manage on-train systems. c2c would welcome individual reports from the panel through T-CAP returns.
