Recruitment
“Scale of the Challenge
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When MTR Crossrail took over the Liverpool Street – Shenfield line in London in May 2015, fare evasion was a big problem across the route with the Ticketless Travel Rate (TTR) sitting at 4.5%
This was not only a problem financially for the company with large amounts of revenue loss, but also contributed to antisocial behaviour along the route and a less-than-desirable environment for many customers using the Liverpool Street – Shenfield route.
Fresh thinking and changes in behaviour
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MTR Crossrail recognised that this was a large challenge but tackled the problem head on, introducing a number of initiatives and new processes that focused on investing in employees through a range of training to instill a culture change.
The Revenue Protection team have implemented substantial training for all team members such as conflict management courses and training on compiling irregularity reports. This has resulted in increased levels of action once ticketless travel has been detected. The Head of Stations & Revenue Protection also presents to every new starter as part of the company induction programme to educate every employee about revenue protection activities and behaviours, regardless of whether they are in the Revenue team or not, a great way to instil the same culture and way of thinking in every employee to encourage teamwork.
Customer service is another facet of the team’s role. During times of disruption, the Revenue Protection team will redeploy where needed to support frontline staff in managing customer interactions and providing information around journey planning and disruption notifications. This assistance also stretches to Rail Replacement services or when gatelines have been changed at stations. They have also dealt with a number of incidents on trains and at stations and have on a number of occasions prevented suicide attempts.
Introducing ways to generate fresh resources and innovative processes has been a key factor in reducing the TTR along the route.
Since taking over operations of the line from 31 May 2015, the Revenue Protection team have introduced a wide range of activities across the route to manage ticketless travel and support the business wherever possible. These include:
• introducing a regular station presence with Travel Safe and Revenue Protection Officers to ensure tapping in and out
• Carrying out a number of blocks at selected stations based on Revenue Intelligence gathered from a variety of channels
• Training all inspectors in mobile ticketing systems to offer ticket sales during station redevelopment and equipment failures.
• Regular Days of Action where members from MTR Crossrail HQ accompany the Revenue Protection team to assist with blocks and checks
These activities are not carried out at random, rather carefully planned using a variety of Revenue Intel that is analysed and used to plan activities that will have the most impact and target ‘areas of interest’. The way this information has been gathered and used encompasses MTR Crossrail’s values of being creative and enterprising and the results speak for themselves.
A range of systems and sources are used to compile Revenue Intel such as information from Gateline time intelligence, working with the BTP, planned joint blocks with other Operators and daily and weekly activity reports. Yammer is also a valuable channel that MTR Crossrail use to gather revenue intel. This platform also allows station colleagues to post real-time information around fare evading behaviours or trends they may have witnessed at specific areas along the route in a Revenue Intelligence group that was created exactly for this purpose. In the past quarter (Q1 2017/18) we received 2659 pieces of intelligence from our station teams.
The relationship between the Revenue Protection team and their gateline colleagues is integral to ensuring the company not only maintains the fantastic results to date, but continues to improve. Without the training and insight to these staff on gatelines MTR Crossrail would not have access to the extensive Revenue Intel that is used to plan the majority of the activities.
Benefits to performance and customers
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The proactive teamwork from the Revenue Protection team since May 2015 has seen the TTR on the line drop from 4.5% to 0.98% (as at Q1 2017/18). This is well below the current company target and the best ever result. The Moving Annual Average figure is also now at its lowest standing at 1.33%.
However, the benefits extend past just the TTR with more secure stations and a safer railway for our customers thanks to the initiatives outlined above. TfL Rail has seen performance increases since the introduction of the initiatives above from the Revenue Protection Team thanks to the reduction in anti-social behaviour and fare evasion allowing for a smoother service to operate. With this in mind, the PPM Moving Annual Average when MTR Crossrail took over the line was 91.2%, this figure is now 94.9% (as at Period 5 2017/18), a massive increase and a testament to safety and performance going hand-in-hand.
Futureproofing to keep improving
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Despite the great achievements to date, the Revenue Protection team are constantly looking to improve and adopt new technology where available.
They hold regular meetings with all areas of the business to ensure they are offering assistance where possible. Currently, with a number of station improvement works being carried out at multiple sites, the Revenue Protection team are working hard with the Projects team to ensure they are protecting revenue at stations where gatelines and ticket office facilities may be limited.
Regular Revenue Partnership meetings are scheduled with other operators, the BTP and TfL to coordinate activities, share best practice and ensure everyone has a common approach.
As the Elizabeth line will open in stages, the period between now and December 2019 will see the route grow exponentially as MTR Crossrail begin to offer Elizabeth line services in the West. This will present a number of new challenges for the Revenue Protection team however they are already planning for these through liaising with other Train Operating Companies currently running services through these stations (Heathrow Express, Great Western Railways and London Underground) to pre-empt and plan for the future.“
““John Sheehy the General Manager at the Transport Benevolent Fund CIO is pleased the Fund is able to sponsor the Station Staff Award again this year. John said Station staff are an integral part of the railway and being the first port of contact, they play a very important role in helping customers and making their experience on the railway a pleasant one. They often have to deal with difficult situations that require compassion and courage when helping vulnerable people who enter the railway. They simply are a credit to the railway industry.”
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