Linked Spring 2016

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Spring 2016

The magazine for First people in the West of England

Dave

has special fundraising

A copy of Linked has been printed for

EVERY EMPLOYEE Please take your copy to keep.

target for

grandson

PAGE SEVEN

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Good progress achieved on services for our customers

By Managing Director

James Freeman

WE’VE just had the results through from the latest Transport Focus survey. I’m pleased to say they show – almost uniquely in First – that our scores for value for money and customer satisfaction have increased.

It follows our very good results in the Your Voice survey, in which West of England featured very well and our ability to engage with employees was one of the best within the UK Bus Division.

If the best customer service begins with our own employees then we’re definitely making good progress. Well done everybody.

Your efforts are beginning to have a real impact.

I’d also like to focus on our constant battle with unprecedented levels of congestion. I gather that between 2012 and 2015, vehicle numbers on our area’s roads rose by a staggering 18 per cent. Add to that the fact that petrol is now at 99 pence a litre and it feels to many like motoring has never been more accessible. So people are driving more.

All this means that if there is the slightest problem then the whole network grinds to a halt and much of our operation too.

I’d like to commend everyone for their efforts in keeping things going despite the situation. I know it is frustrating but we are working with local authorities to see what can be done.

Finally, quite a few service changes are coming into effect on April 24 across our area.

These network adjustments mean we can concentrate resources where the company can make money and do a good job for customers.

For example, we have withdrawn from the Bath-Chippenham service and redeployed our resources into the Bath city network, where we are experiencing super growth.

Despite these changes the company still remains the size it was three years ago. It’s just a case of shifting services to maximise our competitiveness.

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Ted York is presented with a mock front page to commemorate his Gold Star award by outgoing Bristol General Manager Jenny MacLeod. Ted also received £250 worth of shopping vouchers.

Stalwart scoops Gold St r award RIVER Ted York has scooped a prestigious Bristol Post Gold Star award for his outstanding customer service and considerate manner.

He was nominated for the award, which celebrates extraordinary people in the community, after receiving a Cheers Drive commendation for his willingness to provide passengers with route and ticket information.

The Lawrence Hill-based stalwart, who has been a driver with the company for 28 years, was crowned winner of First-sponsored Gold Star category which recognises drivers who put customers first and go the extra mile to help.

He said: “I was so surprised when my name

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was called, I really didn’t expect it at all. The ceremony was full of people who have done all sorts of magnificent things so to be awarded alongside them was a real honour.”

Five colleagues were also nominated and went along to the black tie event at the Bristol Marriott Hotel. They were Lawrence Hill’s Giovanni Marano, Hengrove’s Lukasz Cowal and Douglas Hunt, Bath’s Alexander Harding and Marlborough Street’s Kier Cummins.

The award judges said that all the finalists in the category had made quite a difference in customer service and that Ted was “a fine ambassador for First with his cheerful and helpful approach to the job”.

Celebrating people who go extra mile EMPLOYEES are to be recognised on a monthly basis through the newly launched Extra Mile Awards.

The concept is simple – colleagues nominated in one of the five categories reflecting First’s vision and values could receive a bronze or silver certificate.

Local teams would then review all silver certificate holders at the end of the year before awarding a gold certificate in each category. These winners will go through to a best of the best section and could win a

diamond award at the national Excellence Awards. Nominations can come from both colleagues and customers.

First Bus Managing Director Giles Fearnley said: “These new awards are a direct result of your feedback on how we celebrate great performance.

“I hope everyone in our business feels compelled to nominate someone they work with who has gone the extra mile.”

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Praise for

prompt action ATH Driver Dan Ashworth reacted quickly when a baby fell ill on his bus – pulling over safely and making sure an ambulance found them so the toddler could go to hospital.

The 22-year-old was driving the Service 319 bus back from Cribbs Causeway when the boy’s parents raised the alarm. They had already called 999 and asked him to stop.

Dan, who has received a company commendation, said: “The dad approached me as we were driving along the ring road and I told him where we’d be able to stop a few minutes later so the paramedics could easily find us.

“When we stopped, the parents got off but I asked them to stay on to keep warm and safe. We opened a few windows to let the baby have some fresh air as they were worried about his high temperature.

“Once the ambulance arrived, off they went to hospital. They Facebooked later so I know the baby is now fine and everything is good.

“I really was just doing my job. I’ve had a number of commendations since I started as a driver about 18 months ago so I must be doing something right.”

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Driver Dan Ashworth who took prompt and safe action when a baby fell ill on his bus.

Customers quizzed on services CONSULTATIONS have taken place into key services in two separate areas of Bristol with the findings helping to shape future routes for customers as well as boosting punctuality and reliability.

First West of England launched the survey online earlier this year with forms also available on buses and at two public drop-in sessions.

Following this, the findings were analysed and changes are to be introduced.

On Service 5 (City Centre to Oldbury Court), the route has been extended to finish at Downend, while an evening service will be introduced on Sundays (the last bus will now leave the city centre at 10.30pm). In addition, Service 5 buses will now include dark green fronts on their liveries so they are easily identified and a special team of volunteer drivers will operate the service.

Managing Director of First West of England James Freeman said: “This is the first

time we have properly consulted with our customers to find out what they want from their bus service. It has been a learning curve for us but overall it has proved extremely useful and has been very positively received.

“We are confident that the improvements we have devised will better suit the needs of the

people using Service 5 and hopefully encourage new people to use the route.”

In addition, an East Bristol consultation has also taken place focussing on bus services in that area of the city as well as South Gloucestershire. The findings have also been made public.

Learning on the internet COLLEAGUES are being urged to try their hand at anything from basic maths to IT skills or a language course to SCUBA diving to celebrate National Learning at Work Week.

Tremendous opportunities are available at the Lifelong Learning Centres in most depots, but courses can also be accessed on smartphones and tablets, wherever there is an internet connection.

Information will be posted on betterjourneys forlife.com in the run up to the special week from May 16-22. First Bus wants to hear from colleagues who have studied at work or in their own time to find the stars of Learning at Work Week.

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New electric buses are city slickers Ian Street and his wife Joanne pictured in Anglesey with the Menai Straits in the background during a motorbike tour.

Ian revs up for another European motorbike tour MOTORBIKE enthusiast Ian Street is all revved up about the thought of another continental road trip on his beloved touring bike.

Although he has always been interested in biking, he found a real passion for it after a couple of friends convinced him to join them on a European tour for his 50th birthday a few years ago.

Hengrove’s new Route Supervisor now spends most weekends touring the UK with the Four County Bikers club on his stylish Triumph Trophy SE – with his wife Joanne joining him for the ride.

The group also puts its all into charity fundraising, collecting more than £3,800 last year for Barton Camp, a Somerset children’s residential centre.

Ian said: “A couple of mates suggested a Europe tour, and this was the perfect excuse for me to buy a new bike and get back into motorcycling after many years away from it. All of our trips are great, but a particular

highlight was leading a group of nine to the Normandy D-Day beaches last summer. It was an emotional experience and everyone who came along loved it – so I’m planning another one for 2016.”

Since starting with First in 2007, Ian has worked as a Driver in Lawrence Hill’s Coaching Unit and as a Traffic Controller on the Bristol Airport contract.

He moved to Hengrove in 2010 where he worked as an On-road Supervisor for five years before taking his current role overseeing the busy 75 and 76 services.

Ian spends time supporting fellow employees and relieving problems on the road, as well as helping to educate drivers.

He said: “I started my new role in October and it’s been a different and challenging experience so far. Going from dealing with 12 vehicles to 50 has taken some getting used to but every day is completely different and the team are all lovely.”

LMOST silent electric buses are set to be trialled on the streets of Bristol – and they should prove to be head turners too with their striking blue livery and branding.

The two ADL Enviro 400s use GPS technology to switch between running modes. They are powered by batteries in areas with the worst air pollution like the city centre and Gloucester Road before a small diesel motor kicks in along Whiteladies Road to allow for recharging.

They will be running on the Service 72 route to the University of the West of England (UWE) in the next few weeks and will also recharge wirelessly through a special ground plate at the Frenchay Campus.

First West of England is running the trial in partnership with the Department of Transport, Bristol City Council and UWE. First’s Managing Director James Freeman said: “These buses will have a massive impact on air quality as they spend a huge part

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A new system of providing bus stop information on electronic screens is being trialled by North Somerset Council.

Buses are fitted with live tracking devices to detect their precise locations and predict how long until they arrive at the stop.

However, an ongoing network signal issue in the Portishead and Pill area meant live tracking predictions were sometimes failing.

Now a trial system has been put into place to display scheduled departures each time an RTI screen loses signal. These refer to when the buses should be departing the stop and are the same as the bus stop’s timetable.

The trial will remain in place until a more long-term fix for network issues has been found.

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of the day running in pure electric mode, almost like a tram without rails.

“It means that in areas where pollution is a problem like the city centre, these buses will quite literally be a breath of fresh air.”

Bristol Mayor George Ferguson said: “I am delighted that we have been able to launch this cutting edge technology in Bristol, the first city outside London to do so.”

One of the buses took pride of place at the closing ceremony marking the end of Bristol’s year as a Green Capital. First West of England was one of the official partners for the year which raised awareness of sustainability and climate issues.

Pushchair policy guidance in place MORE than two pushchairs are now permitted onboard StreetDeck vehicles as long as there is space and it is safe to do so. First Bus Head of Policy John Birtwistle put the new guidance in place to clear up confusion and because StreetDecks do have more buggy space.

The existing policy for pushchairs on all other vehicle types remains in place – a maximum of two only are permitted. The wheelchair policy remains the same – only one per bus.

One of the new ADL Enviro 400s entering service in Bristol city centre.

Variety of events raise charity cash

Retrofit technology to cut harmful emissions

Park and Ride contract NEW buses are on their way now First has been awarded the contract to operate two Park and Ride services in Bristol. They are the 904 Brislington and 902 Portway routes, which are currently provided by transport operator CT Plus.

The company will take over operations in September and a total of 12 double-decker buses will be ordered to run the services – based at Hengrove depot.

System to combat network problem

A Wrightbus Gemini Volvo double decker – one of 18 being improved with the Selective Catalytic Reduction technology.

EIGHTEEN existing buses in the Bristol fleet are being fitted with new green technology to cut harmful emissions by up to 90 per cent following a successful bid to the Department of Transport.

The Clean Bus Technology Fund has been awarded to 18 local authorities across England to retrofit buses with technology to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions in pollution hotspots.

As a result of the award to Bristol City Council, 18 of First’s Wrightbus Gemini Volvo double-deckers are being improved with the Selective Catalytic Reduction technology, which will treat exhaust gas emissions. The fund is a core part of the Government’s commitment to

green transport which has seen £2 billion worth of measures introduced since 2011.

Due to their high mileage and long operational life, introducing greener buses can significantly improve air quality in town and city centres.

To win the award Bristol had to show evidence that the technology would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by at least 50 per cent.

West of England Fleet Engineer Richard Northey said: “We are now in the process of fitting each bus with the Selective Catalytic Reduction technology to treat exhaust gas emissions. The whole cost of the project is being funded by the grant which is great news for the company.”

GENEROUS West of England employees have done it again – raising more than £1,300 for charities through a variety of imaginative events over the winter.

Everything from dressing up and non-uniform days to baking cakes and growing moustaches has helped to generate cash. Good causes that have benefited include Children in Need (£390), Grand Appeal (£108), Movember (£84) and Prostate Cancer UK (£652).

New manager has vast experience NEWLY appointed Bristol General Manager Alan Barrett has more than 40 years experience in the bus industry.

Replacing Jenny MacLeod, he joins from Gloucestershire County Council where he was Passenger Transport Manager. His career has seen him based mainly in the South West or East Anglia but he has worked in London, Australia and the United States.

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New electric buses are city slickers Ian Street and his wife Joanne pictured in Anglesey with the Menai Straits in the background during a motorbike tour.

Ian revs up for another European motorbike tour MOTORBIKE enthusiast Ian Street is all revved up about the thought of another continental road trip on his beloved touring bike.

Although he has always been interested in biking, he found a real passion for it after a couple of friends convinced him to join them on a European tour for his 50th birthday a few years ago.

Hengrove’s new Route Supervisor now spends most weekends touring the UK with the Four County Bikers club on his stylish Triumph Trophy SE – with his wife Joanne joining him for the ride.

The group also puts its all into charity fundraising, collecting more than £3,800 last year for Barton Camp, a Somerset children’s residential centre.

Ian said: “A couple of mates suggested a Europe tour, and this was the perfect excuse for me to buy a new bike and get back into motorcycling after many years away from it. All of our trips are great, but a particular

highlight was leading a group of nine to the Normandy D-Day beaches last summer. It was an emotional experience and everyone who came along loved it – so I’m planning another one for 2016.”

Since starting with First in 2007, Ian has worked as a Driver in Lawrence Hill’s Coaching Unit and as a Traffic Controller on the Bristol Airport contract.

He moved to Hengrove in 2010 where he worked as an On-road Supervisor for five years before taking his current role overseeing the busy 75 and 76 services.

Ian spends time supporting fellow employees and relieving problems on the road, as well as helping to educate drivers.

He said: “I started my new role in October and it’s been a different and challenging experience so far. Going from dealing with 12 vehicles to 50 has taken some getting used to but every day is completely different and the team are all lovely.”

LMOST silent electric buses are set to be trialled on the streets of Bristol – and they should prove to be head turners too with their striking blue livery and branding.

The two ADL Enviro 400s use GPS technology to switch between running modes. They are powered by batteries in areas with the worst air pollution like the city centre and Gloucester Road before a small diesel motor kicks in along Whiteladies Road to allow for recharging.

They will be running on the Service 72 route to the University of the West of England (UWE) in the next few weeks and will also recharge wirelessly through a special ground plate at the Frenchay Campus.

First West of England is running the trial in partnership with the Department of Transport, Bristol City Council and UWE. First’s Managing Director James Freeman said: “These buses will have a massive impact on air quality as they spend a huge part

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SPRING 2016

A new system of providing bus stop information on electronic screens is being trialled by North Somerset Council.

Buses are fitted with live tracking devices to detect their precise locations and predict how long until they arrive at the stop.

However, an ongoing network signal issue in the Portishead and Pill area meant live tracking predictions were sometimes failing.

Now a trial system has been put into place to display scheduled departures each time an RTI screen loses signal. These refer to when the buses should be departing the stop and are the same as the bus stop’s timetable.

The trial will remain in place until a more long-term fix for network issues has been found.

A

of the day running in pure electric mode, almost like a tram without rails.

“It means that in areas where pollution is a problem like the city centre, these buses will quite literally be a breath of fresh air.”

Bristol Mayor George Ferguson said: “I am delighted that we have been able to launch this cutting edge technology in Bristol, the first city outside London to do so.”

One of the buses took pride of place at the closing ceremony marking the end of Bristol’s year as a Green Capital. First West of England was one of the official partners for the year which raised awareness of sustainability and climate issues.

Pushchair policy guidance in place MORE than two pushchairs are now permitted onboard StreetDeck vehicles as long as there is space and it is safe to do so. First Bus Head of Policy John Birtwistle put the new guidance in place to clear up confusion and because StreetDecks do have more buggy space.

The existing policy for pushchairs on all other vehicle types remains in place – a maximum of two only are permitted. The wheelchair policy remains the same – only one per bus.

One of the new ADL Enviro 400s entering service in Bristol city centre.

Variety of events raise charity cash

Retrofit technology to cut harmful emissions

Park and Ride contract NEW buses are on their way now First has been awarded the contract to operate two Park and Ride services in Bristol. They are the 904 Brislington and 902 Portway routes, which are currently provided by transport operator CT Plus.

The company will take over operations in September and a total of 12 double-decker buses will be ordered to run the services – based at Hengrove depot.

System to combat network problem

A Wrightbus Gemini Volvo double decker – one of 18 being improved with the Selective Catalytic Reduction technology.

EIGHTEEN existing buses in the Bristol fleet are being fitted with new green technology to cut harmful emissions by up to 90 per cent following a successful bid to the Department of Transport.

The Clean Bus Technology Fund has been awarded to 18 local authorities across England to retrofit buses with technology to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions in pollution hotspots.

As a result of the award to Bristol City Council, 18 of First’s Wrightbus Gemini Volvo double-deckers are being improved with the Selective Catalytic Reduction technology, which will treat exhaust gas emissions. The fund is a core part of the Government’s commitment to

green transport which has seen £2 billion worth of measures introduced since 2011.

Due to their high mileage and long operational life, introducing greener buses can significantly improve air quality in town and city centres.

To win the award Bristol had to show evidence that the technology would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by at least 50 per cent.

West of England Fleet Engineer Richard Northey said: “We are now in the process of fitting each bus with the Selective Catalytic Reduction technology to treat exhaust gas emissions. The whole cost of the project is being funded by the grant which is great news for the company.”

GENEROUS West of England employees have done it again – raising more than £1,300 for charities through a variety of imaginative events over the winter.

Everything from dressing up and non-uniform days to baking cakes and growing moustaches has helped to generate cash. Good causes that have benefited include Children in Need (£390), Grand Appeal (£108), Movember (£84) and Prostate Cancer UK (£652).

New manager has vast experience NEWLY appointed Bristol General Manager Alan Barrett has more than 40 years experience in the bus industry.

Replacing Jenny MacLeod, he joins from Gloucestershire County Council where he was Passenger Transport Manager. His career has seen him based mainly in the South West or East Anglia but he has worked in London, Australia and the United States.

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True story videos analyse cause of accidents FOUR drivers involved in road traffic accidents have retold their stories to help others avoid similar situations.

The short films use CCTV footage to analyse what went wrong and then apply Smiths principles – rules which when applied can help drivers drive more safely and avoid collisions – to show how safer driving practice would have helped in each scenario.

The campaign reinforces the five Smiths principles of Aim High ® In Steering, Get The Big Picture ®, Keep Your Eyes Moving ®, Leave Yourself An Out ® and Make Sure They See You ®, which are known to reduce accidents when kept at the front of drivers’ minds. ● Look out for the videos on betterjourneysforlife.com and on leaflets and screens around the depots.

Simple, smart and seamless plan for future VERYONE at First Bus is being urged to place a new focus on customer service to build a more successful future for all.

Research is underway to help the company understand customers’ changing expectations of public transport and develop services which fit.

At the heart of the drive is the plan to make everything the company does to look after its customers simple, smart and seamless.

Discussions with customers, employees and even people who don’t use the bus has shown a clear need for improved information, easier access, more reliable services and a better customer experience all round.

First Bus Commercial Director Mark Powles said better use of technology and more relevant information would help customers integrate bus transport into bigger journeys, which might start

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and finish by bike, on foot or in a taxi.

And he said everyone had a role to play in building customers’ trust of services, vehicles and staff to push bus travel up their list of priorities.

Mark said: “Feedback from the research will be shared with colleagues in April and we will use it to prioritise action to create a better customer experience.”

He said everything from providing better technology and information to cleaner buses and giving a friendly smile and welcome to the bus would make a difference in making sure more customers choose the bus as part of their journey.

Moves are already underway to achieve this.

Two existing apps, for mticketing and journey information, will be relaunched later this year in a new, improved single app.

A huge investment in new

Travel Shop Assistant Vanessa Cooke helps customers Susan Tatton, centre, and Ann Newton, at the travel shop in Stoke-on-Trent bus station. vehicles will continue this year, with more double deckers being introduced on key routes. And work has started on developing smart, modern new uniforms, with employees being consulted on design and practicality.

Mark said: “I see huge opportunities to be more customer focused, to improve customer numbers and revenues, and this drives the profit we need to continue to invest in First Bus and its employees.”

Bring the page to life with our exciting mobile app

Download our free First Bus AR app from the app store.

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Scan the photo or logo where you see the ‘Scan Here’ marker.

When the video starts, double-tap your screen for full screen view.

Nominate now for Awards 2016 HUNDREDS of nominations have already been received for this year’s First Bus excellence awards.

The awards will recognise outstanding achievement where First Bus people have excelled over the last year, gone above and beyond and done a fantastic job.

Any employee can nominate colleagues for an award across 15 categories.

To nominate visit firstgroup.com/excellence awards, pick a category; nominate a colleague or a team; write a few words about why they should win; and click submit.

For each nomination received, First Bus will donate £5 to Prostate Cancer UK. In the last year First Group has donated over £350,000 to its Charity of Choice.

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Colleagues back fundraising drive ATH union rep Dave Jacobs and his family are spearheading a £15,000 fundraising drive for his grandson who was born with cerebral palsy.

Little Luka Cerbona, aged three-and-a-half, uses a wheelchair and is a regular hospital visitor for physio and speech therapy. He sometimes has to be fed through a tube.

His mum Kimberley and dad Jules already have a £30,000 council grant to build him a downstairs bedroom and wetroom at their home in Keynsham but need to raise the rest to make the project a reality.

Dave, a First employee for 32 years who works as a cash clerk in the Bath travel shop, said: “Luka’s a really cheerful boy, always laughing. He loves football and is a Liverpool fan like his dad. He’s also into cars.

“He attends nursery and goes to special school twice a week but will be going full time this September.

At the moment my daughter has to carry him upstairs to bed so a downstairs bed and wet room would make things so much easier.

It would give Luka independence.

“We started fundraising last summer and have £9,000 so far.

We’ve had auctions, book sales

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and sold off donated items.

“We’re planning a day-long football tournament in April including teams from First.

Colleagues have already helped out by running marathons to raise money and the support we’ve had has been fantastic.”

Dave Jacobs with his grandson Luka and Luka’s mum and dad, Kimberley and Jules Cerbona. Dave and Luka are also pictured on the magazine cover.

■ To make a donation go to gofundme.com/nds508, contact Dave direct on 07703 579561 or speak to Staff Manager Tracy Jackson on 01225 494922.

Control boosts reliability and communication A state-of-the-art command and control centre at Bath is now up and running to help improve reliability and communication between drivers and the depot.

A total of four staff have moved into the centre, where they will be able to stay in contact with drivers via radio channels and quickly inform them of any problems on the road.

This makes services run more reliably for customers who can also track the location of their bus using the Real Time Information (RTI) system that is now available on the customer website.

Bath, Wells, Weston-super-Mare and Westbury General Manager Andrew Sherrington said:

Traffic Controller Pete Hutchings in the new command and control centre at Bath.

“Drivers can now stay in contact with the control room by pressing foot pedals which alert depot staff to their location and vehicle information rather than having to pull over and use their

mobile phones. It means that services can run more proactively as both drivers and the control team are aware of any situation on the road and can plan ahead.”

Mike goes extra mile for family DRUNKS who were sick on his bus left Wells Driver Mike Doggrell out of pocket as he pulled out all the stops to help a family affected by the incident.

He was at the wheel of the 376 at Wirral Park roundabout when the drunks vomited down the centre aisle. The smell forced a family to get off but not before Mike gave them some of his own money for hot drinks and asked them to stay put while he drove off to get his bus cleaned.

Unable to get the mess cleaned up quickly because it was so bad, Mike took another bus and, operating from Glastonbury an hour late, made sure he returned to pick the family up. Mike has been commended for literally going the extra mile to help his customers.

Advice on smart cards available SMART advice on smart cards is being issued to drivers to stave off a rise in customer complaints.

The company has invested a considerable amount of money in advanced ticket technology but problems have occurred mainly because ticket machines on buses are sometimes not being operated in the correct way.

Any drivers who are unsure on how to use smart cards on a ticket machine should speak to their staff manager.

Managing Director James Freeman said: “Developments in ticketing are really important to the business to help us grow revenue.

“If we don’t do this right, we will lose customers and, in turn, that could affect the viability of our business. Anyone in any doubt should please ask at the depot.”

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Celebrating the fundraising success at Marlborough Street bus station are, left to right, Driver Gary Gainey, Beth Davidson, Driver Neil Dowding, Marketing Manager Sarah Wallbridge, Inspector Pete O’Donnell, Driver Mark Beckett and Driver Neil Noyes.

Cycle marathon hits

charity jackpot HAMPION fundraisers at Lawrence Hill raised more than £2,800 for Prostate Cancer UK and topped their biggest donation pot yet by saddling up for a 48-hour cycling marathon.

Four static bikes were set up at Marlborough Street bus station between February 19 and 21 and employees took it in turns to cycle around the clock.

The marathon ride saw them power through the night, with the

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bikes in full view of the general public, in the hope of raising as much as possible for First’s Chosen Charity.

Afterwards, First match funded their total swelling the charity pot amount to an impressive £2,887.

Lawrence Hill Traffic Controller Martin “Trigger” Rogers said: “It was fantastic fun and a great achievement to raise this much money for charity.

“Thanks to First for doubling up the total. Everyone had such a

laugh and some of the drivers who hadn’t signed up beforehand saw what we were doing, and decided to get involved and hopped onto a bike.

“The public came down to see us too, a couple of enthusiastic kids even stayed to watch us cycle on both days.

“We’re always coming up with weird and wonderful fundraisers to get stuck in to and everyone at the Lawrence Hill depot is always really up for it.”

Survey findings on the menu at canteens TEA with the Team sessions have been staged across First West of England depot canteens as the results of the Your Voice Survey are rolled out and ideas shared on implementing improvements.

Human Resources Business Partner Clare Dalton said: “We scored very well in the survey and now have to ensure that we improve as a team, ensuring that our workforce feel engaged and empowered as they are the driving force behind our success.

“We have a number of actions

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taking place over the coming year aimed at getting staff more involved with the decisionmaking process.

“We want to know more of what works for them and, of course what doesn’t, and we will then publish the results so everyone can see how their opinions shape the way we do things here.

“Communication is something that we would like to improve upon. One idea is to have our own senior team Facebook page where our people can contact us directly and we can keep them up to date with what is going on in the business.”

Raising the roof at Wells THE arrival of eight new double deckers at Wells depot literally meant raising the roof during a month-long revamp on site.

Builders had to put a new roof on the engineering department so the StreetDecks could fit in. A new facia was also installed on the front of the building. New wash facilities in the yard now make it easier for staff to keep the fleet clean.

General Manager Andrew Sherrington said: “The works at Wells depot have now been completed and I think you will all agree that they have lifted the appearance of the whole facility.

“The StreetDecks fit snugly through the new door and while waiting for the new wash, the guys did a great job keeping buses as clean as they did with their own equipment.

“A testament to their dedication to get things right. Well done.”