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7. The Customer Experience
markings needs to be clear and accurate. Those who travel in the Congestion
Charging zone or who use the cycle hire scheme expect it to be easy to pay.
Improving customer experience means reducing stress levels and improving
reliability. This includes traffic flowing smoothly; consistent journey times; cycle
hire customers always able to find a bike and a docking station available. Providing
up-to-the-minute information about delays or disruptions and clear signage around
roadworks with evidence that work is taking place start to demonstrate that we
care.
The factors that ‘delight’ pedestrians and other road users focus on a perfectly
smooth journey, dedicated lanes for cyclists, and a culture of everyone sharing the
road. Consistent rules for parking and loading, a pleasant environment and urban
realm improvements are also part of the top-level delighters for road users.
What are the priorities for the future?
Rising population will put continued pressure on TfL’s services. Public transport
services will be more crowded making capacity increases imperative; while on the
roads there is little scope for capacity improvements.
What TfL can do is keep improving our customer service whether people call in,
contact us via Twitter or online, or talk to our staff in person. We will provide new
types of training and support to bus drivers and recognise them when they help
customers out. We will provide improved real-time information including on the
roads and particularly for customers with disabilities. We will make our bus, Tube,
rail and DLR stations easier to navigate and pleasant to use. We will design
London’s urban space and roads to be more pleasant. See section 7.7 below for
ways we are using technology to do this.
Key priorities
• Provide a consistently good customer service.
• Address those issues that customers tell us are important and cause the most
pain.
For example, for bus customers this centres on information when things go wrong
and driver behaviour. On the Tube it is about coordinating service announcements
that reflect what the customer is experiencing, helpful staff and simpler fares and
ticketing. On the roads the focus is on relieving congestion, reducing hold ups
caused by road works and ensuring traffic flows smoothly, plus providing up-to-the
minute information if there are problems.
The introduction of new services will also have an impact. Looking to the future,
Crossrail tunnelling is nearing completion and work will soon be starting on fitting
out the new and fully accessible railway. This and other new services will help meet
the demands of a growing population.
133 Travel in London, Report 8