Innovating for our customers

We play a critical role in reducing congestion on our roads, improving air quality and helping to lower carbon emissions. Transport remains the largest element of the UK’s carbon footprint. Government statistics also show that bus and coach transport accounts for only 2.2% and rail just 1.5% of greenhouse gas emissions produced within the transport sector, compared with 52% from cars.

Rail journeys emit up to 80% less carbon and bus journeys over 30% less carbon than journeys by car. We are focused on helping more people to make the shift to our bus and rail services, leading to fewer car journeys being made. Not only is this desirable for the UK to meet its Net Zero goals, but public transport is also vitally important for social inclusion, acting as a leveller for access to education, jobs and health facilities, reducing congestion and supporting social mobility and cohesion.

Our fully electric rail operator Lumo has achieved two major milestones in its first year, having attracted a million passengers and (alongside other rail operators) seen rail overtake air travel to become the preferred mode of transport between Edinburgh and London. Between April and August 2022, for the first time over half (57%) of journeys between Edinburgh and London were by rail. The sustainable rail operator carried its millionth passenger in November 2022 having run more than 2,500 services, the equivalent of around 4,125 full flights* each carrying 180 people.

(*Estimated using Airbus A320 with seating capacity of 180 people.)

To reduce journeys made by private car, we strive to improve and simplify end-to-end passenger journeys, and to increase the integration of active travel, including cycling and walking, in our networks.

In FY 2023, our rail businesses continued to install hundreds of secure bike spaces to allow even more people to choose a sustainable way of getting to and from the station. As an example, we opened a new cycle hub at Salisbury station with 74 cycle parking spaces and an e‑bike docking station.

We are committed to making our services accessible and we make every effort to support customers with disabilities or restricted mobility.

We recognise that access to public transport services is often fundamental to such customers’ independence. We work with both national and local disability groups and continue to invest in making our services more accessible. We put in place a number of technological enhancements to improve accessibility on our services this year.

Avanti has launched a dedicated communications channel to provide disabled customers with instant help during their journey in a first for the UK rail industry. Called ‘Travel Companion’, the channel utilises WhatsApp, to connect passengers to accessible travel experts who can offer specialist support while travelling. To support blind or partially‑sighted people Avanti has also included within this channel, Be My Eyes – a free app offering video support at a moment’s notice from sighted volunteers and professionals who lend their eyes to solve tasks.

Travellers who are deaf or have hearing loss often struggle to hear station announcements and communicate with staff, which can make it harder to plan and carry out journeys. SWR have trialled Artificial Intelligence technology at various stations which translates live journey information into British Sign Language (BSL). This is displayed through a figure on digital totem screens, giving them more confidence on their journeys.

To encourage more people to use bus and rail services, we continue to invest in innovations to improve customer service, delivering more convenience, smarter, easier and more flexible ticketing, better real-time information and improved onboard amenities.

We have now launched ‘tap on tap off’ payment technology and ticketing options on our buses in various UK regions including Aberdeen, Glasgow, Cornwall, West Yorkshire and Leicester. This payment technology is now installed on all our fleet. It allows customers to pay by contactless for the journey they make – calculated from the point they ‘tap on’ to the point they ‘tap off’. It also helps speed up boarding times and journeys.

Transport is public-facing, often the topic of political debate and subject to significant interaction with government at local, regional and national level. Our goals are to advocate for innovation and investment in sustainable mobility, and to make the case for sustainable transport infrastructure decisions that help reduce congestion, enhance customer experience and decrease journey times. We achieve this by engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and policymakers.

At Group level, we have long-established and strong relationships with government officials and departments, as well as positive engagement with ministers. We work with both government and opposition policy teams and advisers, as well as political influencers, including Parliamentary committee members.

Our experience, expertise and market-leading positioning is recognised when we intervene in policy debate. This allows us to engage meaningfully with decision-makers to promote the most effective form of private sector transport provision in our respective markets. We also engage with policymakers and seek to influence the development of policy both directly, and through the membership of sector trade organisations in the UK, who engage with government and regulators to promote a positive policy environment for private sector transport.

In First Bus we work closely with our local authority partners to pursue formal and informal partnerships which help us deliver better services through measures which reduce road congestion and give priority to buses.

In First Rail, we deploy Regional Development Managers within our operating companies who liaise with local and regional government, local businesses, user groups and others.