Transport for LondonBusiness performance
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Best Value
During 2003/04, TfL concluded its reviews of support services covering communications, finance, planning, human resources, procurement and information management.
These have led to the development of a streamlined organisational structure following the integration of London Underground (LU) and the realisation of substantial efficiency savings through economies of scale and the development of a common IT infrastructure based around SAP. So far this, in conjunction with more efficient procurement of 3rd party goods and services, has delivered £42 million of savings in 2003/04 and is on target to deliver £72 million of savings in 2004/05. These resources will be directly re-invested in front line operational service enhancements.
This year TfL (as well as the GLA and other functional bodies) has engaged in an Initial Performance Assessment (IPA) by the Audit Commission. This process is intended to look at overall organisational capability, and to make recommendations for TfL's future improvement agenda. TfL produced a selfassessment, available on our website, and was host to a team of inspectors from the Audit Commission. The process will conclude with a report and overall rating from the Commission, expected in November 2004.
The future programme of Best Value reviews will respond to the outcomes of this IPA process and the changing needs of the business with a view to continuous improvements being made to the way TfL delivers its services to the public.
Health, safety and environment
In general, despite the many structural changes at TfL over the last year - the transfer of LU to TfL and the commencement of PPP - all areas have made good progress against health, safety and environment plans and performance has generally been good.
Last year saw the establishment of a Group Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) function, working to align and co-ordinate HSE across TfL.
There were no employee fatalities during the year and for the third year, all businesses (Surface Transport data only for last year) had major injury rates of less than 150 per 100,000 employees, better than the UK average for the transport sector over this time period. Rates for assaults on employees are highest in LU with 1,560 assaults over the last year. This is not surprising as this business has the highest number of customer facing staff, but the rate was higher in 2003/04 than the previous three years.
During the period there were seven customer fatalities, two in Surface Transport and five in LU.
With regard to customer major injuries, there was an increase in reported major injuries in Surface Transport. This is thought to be the result of improved reporting, but the injury rates are some three to four times those for LU and Docklands Light Railway (DLR). Assault rates on customers were highest in DLR, though with a significant fall from the levels of the previous two years. LU showed a steady improvement regarding customer assault rates over the previous three years that was reversed this year. Lowest assault rates were in Surface Transport.
Previously, environmental planning and performance reporting had been largely project based, but in 2003/04 TfL reviewed its approach and worked towards setting environmental objectives, defining performance indicators and setting targets for improvement. Following this review, TfL established ten environmental objectives based on the Mayor's five Environmental Strategies:
- Reduce emissions to air
- Reduce energy consumption, increase use of renewables
- Reduce noise and vibration
- Reduce resource consumption
- Maintain/enhance quality of built environment
- Reduce impact of waste
- Promote sustainable transport of waste
- Maintain/enhance the natural environment
- Reduce emissions to water and land
- Reduce consumption of water
TfL contributed to reducing emissions of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and small particles (PM10) through a number of measures but principally through reducing emissions from buses and weremain on target to have all buses Euro II or better by 2005.
As a major consumer of energy in London, TfL accounts for 1 per cent of London's total consumption (3.5 per cent electricity consumption). We have undertaken a strategic review of our energy procurement and demand management processes and in 2003/04 sourced 14 per cent of our electricity from renewable resources.
This compares well with the UK's plan to produce 10 per cent of its supply from renewable sources by 2010. LU also achieved a 20.9 per cent saving in electricity at stations in 2003/04 (exceeding the target of 17.5 per cent). Other parts of the business have a variety of initiatives contributing to energy saving and the move to renewable resources.
Noise reduction efforts have taken place in various parts of TfL. LU has carried out rail grinding, installed more continuously welded tracks, lubricated key areas of known "wheel squeal" and taken part in an international project on noise reduction technology. DLR has specific targets for noise and vibration and carries out noise monitoring and maintenance procedures for the railway and a noise-monitoring programme has been established on parts of the TLRN.
As a signatory of the Mayor's Green Procurement Code, TfL is purchasing a variety of recycled products and is piloting the use of recycled materials in footpaths. LU now purchases 50 per cent of its timber from sustainable managed forests and has introduced water saving features during the refurbishment of train washing facilities.
More details on these areas can be found in TfL's and LU's Environment Reports available on the TfL website.
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