Transport User Voice – May 2019 – Chief executive’s editorial
29 April 2019
The next 12 months – what is Transport Focus aiming to change?
Transport Focus exists to stand up for transport users around Great Britain, to champion their cause when things go wrong and to get services improved.
This coming year Transport Focus will work on three main areas and on three targeted campaigns, in addition to dealing with issues thrown up by events. The campaigns will take up a significant amount of our resources.
The following are highlights from the new Transport Focus 2019/20 workplan. See the plan for full details of the insight work planned, plus lots of example wins from the last 12 months!
On time!
Reliable journeys remain the key factor determining transport user satisfaction. Transport Focus will work to ensure planned and unplanned disruption is handled better. Roadside facilities are key to safety – truck drivers have to take breaks and car drivers should, so Transport Focus will continue to advocate for more and better roadside facilities.
Campaign – Transport Focus will aim to boost rail reliability by making it easier to claim Delay Repay compensation.
Get it right!
Transport Focus will work to ensure the user voice is at the heart of investment and planning decisions. This will involve, among other things, continued in-depth and sustained work on the Williams and Rail Fares Reviews, various industry/local authority bus alliances, the forthcoming Road Investment Strategy Two, rail franchise replacements and our Accessibility Forums.
Campaign – Transport Focus will work to improve bus services in the West Midlands. This focused approach can, subject to resource, be repeated in other areas in future.
Boost the user voice
Transport Focus will talk to over 180,000 transport users through the main ‘tracker’ surveys. The comparative, benchmarked results will drive change. Transport Focus will continue to boost the usefulness of the main surveys, plus develop new ways of gathering user feedback. There is much more insight work planned in other specific areas. Some of this work is funded by third parties.
Campaign – more useful and effective information for Highways England’s road users. Timely, accurate and useful information is vital to keep traffic flowing safely and smoothly.