Equity and Inclusion Action Plan - Objective 1
Provide accessible, affordable, safe and inclusive transport services to our wide range of customers
Theme
Travelling safely and securely
Aim
Reduce total recorded crime and improve passenger perceptions of personal safety on the transport network
Actions required
Incorporate the ‘See Something, Say Something” initiative into the new West Midlands One app solution and continue to actively promote it
Rebrand, relaunch and promote “Project Empower” which aims at tackling sexual harassment on public transport in the West Midlands
Continue a robust policy towards providing support within schools and community groups to press home the wider safety message among young people, disabled people, harder to reach groups and socially excluded sections of the community with a target of a 30,000 people reach per annum
Support repeat victims of crime though
a multi-agency approach and ensure that the Safer Travel Partnership’s approach to safeguarding is current and effective
Continue to proactively manage offenders on the network to behave lawfully including support, prevention and where necessary enforcement of those engaged in repeat criminal activity
Continue to operate “Restorative Justice” for young people committing acts of anti-social behaviour and crime on the public transport system with a target of 50 referrals per annum and investigate the option of expanding the scheme to light and heavy rail
Actively run hate crime campaigns to encourage victims of hate crime to report to police or third party reporting lines hence tackling hate crime on public transport
Consider the establishment of a Safer Travel specific Independent Advisory Group in preparation for the Commonwealth Games as well as a dedicated Transport Neighbourhood watch
Create adaptive social media strategies which reach out and connect with, multiple communities
Ensure a co-ordinated partnership transport response to event planning in a number
of ways, including through developing an interface and strategy that utilises Safer Travel Police, partnership and other resources at events that will have a significant impact on the transport network
Work with partners to improve the network’s environmental features including waiting facilities, vehicle conditions and other assets to further enhance passenger perceptions of personal safety
Develop an end to end journey approach to addressing the safety requirements of the travelling public
Implement and utilise new and existing civil enforcement powers in relation to safer travel, including bus byelaws.
Ensure that Park and Ride plans include safety and security in every element of their creation and operation
Launch the new Regional Road Safety Action Plan and support delivery of a safer local road network with a focus on addressing inequalities for vulnerable road users through targeted road safety campaigns
Work closely through our road safety partnership with the West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire Service and our local authority partners as well as with the Police and Crime Commissioner to make our streets safer
Undertake comprehensive reviews of fatal collisions to better determine causation factors, demographics and additional data for vulnerable groups
Theme
Commonwealth games
Aim
Deliver an accessible and inclusive commonwealth transport games experience
Actions required
Deliver the Commonwealth Games Transport Plan in a way that ensures reduced impacts on everyday journeys using a broad range of measures to manage travel demand
Develop and deliver an inclusive communications and engagement strategy for the development of the Games Strategic Transport Plan and its associated work streams, ensuring all communities are informed and have the opportunity to benefit from the Games
Ensure all competition venues are accessible by public transport and that clear wayfinding and signage is available throughout.
Offer accessible shuttle buses from key transport hubs to venues and include blue badge parking in venues
Use a number of additional services to complement the public transport offer during the Commonwealth Games, including services for people who find it difficult or impossible to use conventional public transport.
Introduce a range of easy to use ticket payment options for transport and offer free access to public transport for ticket holders and games staff and volunteers
Deliver accessible infrastructure improvements including new stations and transport hubs and deliver improved transport links on Metro, Sprint and the rail network across the region and beyond
Theme
Value for money, affordability and employment support
Aim
Ensure services offer good value for money and people are able to access employment, education and leisure opportunities
Actions required
Rollout of a single app that will provide customers with the best ticket, passenger information and wider mobility options including parking and taxis.
Move to a uniformed fare stage and zonal structure across all modes and remove inconsistencies within the fares range.
Introduce account based ticketing and fares capping to offer customers best value automatically and remove their need to consider complex fares.
Introduce inclusive fares and payment functions targeted at those customers that need the most support.
Develop a holistically considered fares and payments solution that provides optimised access to transport for everyone.
Develop the fares functionality of the journey planner so that each planned journey is accompanied with information about the best fare and the instant ability to purchase that fare.
Continue the roll out of mobility credits and Swift ticketing offers to beneficially support climate change, social outcomes and release urban development sites.
Continue to widen and improve the Workwise offer. Negotiate further ticket discounts for those seeking and obtaining employment and explore bike hire opportunities and discounts, including day ticket discounts for job interviews.
Further build on existing relationship with DWP, job centres, LA partners and employment providers to ensure increased take up and awareness of Swift ticketing options available to them.
Commence a formal policy review into our current concessionary fares and Supported Travel Policies and explore new ways these policies could support more vulnerable people in the region.
Introduce daily fare capping using both contactless and swift on all services
Explore take up of blind and disabled pass in other authorities and make sure we are inclusive in our assessment criteria specifications and work closer with SEND Home to School transport teams to promote the concessionary pass to young people
Build on the work of the Covid-19 Equality Impact assessment into the transport needs of excluded groups and delivery on the Inclusive Transport Action Plan
Explore the option of introducing a companion element to the concessionary pass through working closely with operators
Theme
Sustainable travel and decarbonising transport
Aim
Narrow the sustainable travel inclusion gap and ensure sustainable travel modes are more easily accessible
Actions required
Co-ordinate the inclusive cyclist group that will work towards recommendations that will inform future practice which makes improvements for disabled cycling
Continue to support cycling and walking events across the region with our partners and stakeholders, including in more deprived areas to encourage cycling take up amongst traditionally under-represented groups.
Introduce the West Midlands Cycle Hire scheme to encourage end to end journeys for people who do not ordinarily own a bike also considering concession options and incentives
Invest in the development of community based cycling programmes so that disabled people can enjoy cycling
Trial behaviour change in disabled people using public transport to places to get active (swift trial)
Ensure our transport network supports the climate agenda
Theme
Customer experience, communication and engagement
Aim
Improve customer experience for our diverse range of customers and engage effectively to understand and act on customer needs
Actions required
Continue to provide comprehensive equality and disability awareness training for all TfWM customer facing staff and offer regular awareness sessions on a number of equality related issues
Measure the success and reach of the Bus Alliance Customer Charter
Develop resources to help customer facing staff recognise and assist customers with hidden disabilities
Continue to work with vulnerable young people in the region and explore new
travel offers for young people including travel support for care leavers, those not in education, employment or training and those undertaking an apprenticeship
Support our SEND Home to School Transport Teams across our region through delivering an inclusive transport network and supporting the uptake of Independent Travel Training
Develop and maintain a better understanding of the needs, attitudes and perceptions of people who use our transport system through the development of a detailed segmentation and persona framework also facilitated by an online citizen’s panel community and through TfWM’s Youth Forum
Grow TfWM’s Youth forum and deliver projects tailed to young people’s needs
Engage with more of the West Midlands diverse communities to effectively inform, develop and deliver our strategies, services and programmes through regular community engagement activities
Continue to consult with disability and wider equality groups for all key strategies, policies and major infrastructure schemes
Theme
Inclusive transport services for all
Aim
Ensure the infrastructure, information and services we provide are accessible to more people with a customer service that meets individual needs
Actions required
Deliver a number of rail infrastructure projects in the region and ensure they meet all key accessibility standards
Work with West Midlands Rail Executive to ensure station travel plans meet key accessibility requirements
Enhance infrastructure and customer experience at our bus stations and major interchanges by delivering a new multi modal, world class facility for bus and Metro customers in Dudley and by carrying out a refurbishment of Coventry Pool Meadow station
Extend our Metro network to improve accessibility and better serve the region
Continue to explore opportunities for accessibility improvements in rail stations in the WMCA area
Ensure our bus industry partners collaborate to deliver the best possible bus service experience for people by coordinating investment, effort and action through the management of the Bus Alliance, also ensuring equitable outcomes and considerations are fully embedded.
Through a Bus Service Improvement Plan, we will explore new fare reductions for young people as well as other excluded groups and new bus service opportunities through the Nation Bus Strategy funding.
Continue to run the subsidised bus network to provide socially necessary services
Trial a number of future mobility zone projects to improve employee and customer travel options and flexibility.
Continue to provide language line for those whose first language is not English
Continue to provide RNIB React enabled Real Time Information Displays across the network and in all major interchanges
Continue to investigate opportunities for demand responsive transport as part of delivering our Vision for Bus and continue new pilots including the ‘West Midlands Bus On Demand” which services the University of Warwick and the south Coventry areas
Measure the success and reach of the bus alliance customer charter
Improve information and communications for all transport users during disruptive events using travel demand management tactics in line with the resilience communication and engagement strategy
Ensure production and publicity of accessibility related aids/products that improve the travel experience of disabled people
Develop a new multimodal information portal on the West Midlands Network site to offer travel updates and deliver personalised messages on disruption information within affected areas, providing alternatives and linking with improved journey planning and ticketing capabilities.
Expand our capability to provide personalised information to customers
Develop a wayfinding and information strategy and launch a new wayfinding team within TfWM to provide consistent branding in all signage and wayfinding across the West Midlands transport network.
Work with partners to deliver improvements on multimodal timetables, interchange facilities and ticketing to ensure bus, rail and metro information is best in class
Increase in the number of vehicles fitted with tracking and audio-visual next stop announcements in the region
Continue to fund Ring and Ride provision through an enhanced service level agreement with the operator and clear standards
Improve Ring and Ride operational efficiency and customer satisfaction through bringing the call centre in-house, improving current booking systems, exploring its role in mainstream transport, enhancing the software to plan more efficient routes, improving branding and marketing and delivering on the operation of new accessible vehicles.
Set standards for customer service experience for ring and ride, explore and shape how customer services operate.
Explore options for community transport integration with wider public transport services as well as a total transport approach through collaborating in areas like SEND home to school transport, adult social care transport and Ring and Ride.
Continue delivering the Walsall shopper’s service for older people in sheltered housing and explore opportunities for developing similar services across the region
Continue the roll out of West Midlands on Demand and explore new routes and services
Continue to use data insight as well as the TfWM ‘My Community’ as an online community network for conducting research and engaging in our diverse communities across the region
Theme
Strategic transport and policy
Aim
Ensure our strategic transport schemes and polices are inclusive and promote an equal network
Actions required
Launch a refreshed local transport plan, supporting our 5 motive for change including ‘Creating a Fairer Society ‘
Deliver on a more integrated and inclusive network which will support inclusive growth.
Consider Covid-19 impact on different groups and identify how transport can support equal access to employment and training, especially those hardest hit by the pandemic.
Deliver on our Active Travel Fund and Starley Network of safe cycle routes across the West Midlands. This will include inclusive cycle network and working with Mencap to ensure cycle opportunities are inclusive.
Delivery of active travel to support a healthier West Midlands.