Ticketing and Concessionary Travel on Public Transport - United ...

Ev 10 Transport Committee: Evidence
14 November 2007 Mrs Elaine Holt, Mr Martin Dean, Mr Les Warneford <strong>and</strong> Mr Ian Dobbs
Mr Warneford: As far as I know, Chairman, where
we know that there is some dem<strong>and</strong> we are very
happy to provide that.
Q77 Chairman: Where you know—?
Mr Warneford: —There is a dem<strong>and</strong> for it then we
are happy to provide through ticketing. I am not
conscious that there is a huge gap there.
Q78 Chairman: You are not conscious, so we are not
looking for customers, we are going wait for them to
come to us, are we?
Mr Warneford: No, we have already promoted
schemes, we have joint ticketing.
Q79 Chairman: Mr Dean, are you happy with
everything you are doing?
Mr Dean: Yes, Chairman, if you look at a lot of
locations throughout the United Kingdom where we
operate in an area <strong>and</strong> another operator runs in that
area as well, then there are examples of joint
ticketing schemes <strong>and</strong> we have implemented quite a
few, as Mr Warneford said, where there is the
dem<strong>and</strong> to do that.
Mrs Holt: I think when you are looking at customer
requirements <strong>and</strong> particularly the environment
focus going forward, there is an increasing dem<strong>and</strong>
for integrated transport, whether it be cycling or bus
integration, <strong>and</strong> I think as train operators we are
doing quite a lot of work in this area to see how we
can better respond to customer needs. I think
customer focus is changing particularly around the
environment <strong>and</strong> access to rail stations is becoming
more important to them, so I think that there is more
that we can do, <strong>and</strong> certainly First Group rail
operators are working very closely with the local bus
companies <strong>and</strong> indeed cycle groups <strong>and</strong> other bodies
to make sure that we do respond to customer
dem<strong>and</strong>.
Q80 Chairman: Can you give me oV-the-cuV—<strong>and</strong> I
am not going to hold you to it—two or three things
you think your company does.
Mrs Holt: If we take First Capital Connect we are
doing a lot with cycling. It is a particular issue for us
because we serve Cambridge <strong>and</strong> Brighton <strong>and</strong>
places like that, so we have invested quite a lot in
cycle facilities, parking, security, <strong>and</strong> that kind of
thing to promote diVerent travel to stations because
car parking is an issue at stations.
Q81 Chairman: I underst<strong>and</strong> that but before we get
on to that, how do I get my bicycle on a train in
Cambridge or to Cambridge? Do I have to book
specifically by going to the station; can I use the
Internet; how do I get my cycle on?
Mrs Holt: If you are travelling from Cambridge you
can leave your bike at the station. There are plenty
of facilities there. Peak trains are very, very crowded
so we do not allow bikes on the train in the peak but
oV peak you can travel with your bike. You are not
required on our services to book in advance, but the
point was made earlier about booking with bicycles
not being available on the Internet, <strong>and</strong> that is
something we should all look at.
Q82 Mrs Ellman: What is the industry doing to make
sure that passengers get accurate information on the
best deals at all times?
Mr Dobbs: I did not quite catch the question.
Q83 Mrs Ellman: What are you all doing to improve
the situation for passengers to make sure they get the
cheapest prices <strong>and</strong> best deals at all times?
Mr Dobbs: I think the previous witnesses actually
summarised very well some of the general schemes
that are going on <strong>and</strong> the actual scale of the problem
as well. One of the areas where I think we are making
some major strides is in making better the customerfriendly
nature of the ticket vending machines that
we have got. That is one area where I think the first
generation were not particularly friendly in that
regard.
Q84 Chairman: Vending machines?
Mr Dobbs: Yes, the ticket vending machines, <strong>and</strong>
really with experience <strong>and</strong> feedback from our
customers we are now looking at ways with software
where we can make those far more interactive <strong>and</strong>
simpler to use as well. We are actually seeing quite a
distinct movement to ticket vending machines. They
are becoming increasingly popular <strong>and</strong> I think that
is something we see in other industries as well. In
some of our stations for instance we are getting up
to 70% of ticket sales through the ticket vending
machines. Waterloo is nearly 50% now, which is
quite remarkable.
Q85 Mrs Ellman: Does anyone else have anything to
add to that?
Mr Warneford: I think the question, Chairman,
probably does not much apply to the buses where we
have got very simple fare structures <strong>and</strong> scales that
are posted on the vehicle. I am not conscious that
there is a problem of awareness or information
about them.
Mr Dobbs: Could I possibly comment on your
earlier question about the appropriateness of the
Government’s approach on integrated ticketing. I
think one of the things that we would very much
applaud is the leadership the Government has taken
with regard to defining ITSO as the common
platform across all operators. It is an area where it is
very diYcult to develop smartcard technology but it
is certainly one that has enormous potential. I know
between the rail <strong>and</strong> the bus divisions in our
company we are looking very much at smartcards as
the future. We have had PlusBus <strong>and</strong> other schemes
in the past but I think we have been scratching the
surface. We have to produce a product that
customers, the people out there in the street, are very
comfortable with, something that is very easy to use.
I think a common smartcard platform is the way
to go.
Q86 Mrs Ellman: Is the PlusBus scheme undermined
by frequent changes to bus timetables?
Mr Dobbs: My personal experience is that is not
necessarily the case. I think first of all although it is
promoted it is not widely known about. That is
number one. I think secondly in a lot of the stations