Research shorts
New framework to assess station-level performance improvement schemes
The safety and satisfaction of our customers is at the heart of the rail industry’s activities, and managing the punctuality of our train services is key in that pursuit.
Several initiatives are under way to help trains keep to their scheduled arrival/departure times and reduce the time they are at a stand in stations. But when delays of under three minutes, which often occur at the platform-train interface, are neither tracked nor investigated, how can the industry move towards refining its punctuality and customer satisfaction efforts?
At present, there is no standard way to quantify the potential benefits of any given dwell reduction scheme. This makes forecasting any performance gains, and therefore knowing which initiatives to invest in, difficult. However, a recent research project being carried out by RSSB in close collaboration with station operators seeks to address this shortcoming.
By helping to create a framework for measuring station-level performance improvement schemes, RSSB is paving the way for a standardised method of assessing the benefits of several dwell reduction initiatives.
For example, the collation of key performance, safety, and financial metrics can help station operators and industry leaders better understand the improvements that certain dwell reduction and timetable adherence efforts could bring. This alone is expected to produce significant benefits, as it allows decision makers to pursue the most lucrative schemes in terms of potential punctuality gains.
But alongside forecasting, this new methodology will aid in long-term performance management, providing a robust, end-to-end solution that seeks to support dwell reduction efforts over time.
All factors considered, this framework has real potential to benefit overall performance and customer satisfaction.
RSSB research project ‘PERFORM: Defining best practice methodologies for station performance impact assessments (T1309)’ is currently under way. Register your interest if you would like updates when we publish outcomes or are holding events.
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