Decision details

The processing of road closures and communicating disruptions to transport is not resourced and this has resulted in a disparate, inefficient process and a poor customer experience. The current position is a result of austerity led budget cuts, good intent and the integration of SYPTE within the MCA. Different departments picked up elements of the disruptions process most closely aligned to their skillset within their existing capacity but not reflected in responsibilities or profiles. Following integration, these have been further split with disruptions, information and complaints now touching seven different teams across six departments and four directorates.

Detailed scenario modelling established that delivering the proposed improvements with existing resources would result in a significant reduction in performance within the contact centre, with over 38% fewer calls answered and over 40% more calls taking longer than 10 minutes to answer.

Scenario modelling identified a more efficient delivery model with reduction in call performance from the current 93.2% of calls answered to 22/23 levels of 80%, enabling the improvements to be achieved with fewer resources. For comparison, in 22/23 Transport for London answered 88%.

It is therefore proposed that the MCA commits to improving the efficiency, quality and availability of transport disruptions and leverages economies of scale with Supertram to create an integrated transport disruptions team that aligns with our transport vision and integrated transport brand.

Option 4 - The following recommendations were approved:

• The contract centre is restructured to leverage economies of scale and create a central Integrated Transport Disruptions Centre team;

• The hours disruptions are communicated to the public are increased from 7am-7pm weekdays and 8am to 7pm weekends, to 5am to midnight every day in order to align more closely with Supertram’s timetable; and

• To reduce staffing costs, call performance is reduced from 93% calls answered and 77 seconds average wait time to 80% and 110 seconds respectively.

at an estimated cost of £171,000.

• Option 1 - maintain the current structures and operating hours.

• Option 2 - Consolidate disruptions using existing resources. This will result in only 55% of calls being answered and 42% not answered within 10 minutes. This is not recommended.

• Option 3 - Provide Bus Partnership and Development with additional capacity by creating two Grade 8 Highways lead posts within the Contact Centre and transferring the current workload and replicating existing processes and operating hours of Monday to Friday 9am and 5pm. SYFTL will create the separate LICC consisting of three grade 5 FTE and manage all Supertram correspondence, disruption communications, Magna help point calls, complaints and lost property. Two fixed term grade 4 posts in the contact centre will not be extended. This will increase net costs by c£95kk and result in a single point of failure in Supertram LICC, reduce the efficiency of the contact centre and require customers to call a separate number for Supertram. This is not recommended.

• Option 4 - restructure the wider contact centre, create a dedicated disruptions team covering 5am – midnight and reduce call performance to 80% answered and a 110 second average wait time. If SYFTL’s board approves the proposal, it will increase net costs by c£171k.This is the recommended option.

• Option 5 - restructure the wider contact centre, create a dedicated disruptions team covering 5am – midnight and retain current call performance of 93% answered and a 77 second average wait time. This will require an additional one grade 4 FTE and cost an additional c£206k per year.

• Option 6 - Create a dedicated disruptions team 5am – midnight and restructure the wider contact centre, retain current call performance 93% RFT and a 77 second average wait time and increase on-street information posting to cover evenings and weekends. This will require an additional one grade 4 FTE and 80 per week added to the BVN contract and cost an additional c£289k per year.