London Underground has cut the number of peak-time train cancellations by
reducing absenteeism and boosting the recruitment of drivers.
Train cancellations during busy times have been reduced from 433 over a
four-week period in January to 365 in April and 70 in June – much better than
LU’s target of 118.
Paul Kilius-Smith, reliability programme manager for LU, said this success
was due to increased recruitment, improved attendance and more efficient
deployment of staff.
A recruitment drive, which generates 45 new drivers every four weeks, is on
schedule to boost the number of train operators by 113 by the end of March next
year.
Kilius-Smith said a more consistent approach to attendance management,
including return-to-work interviews and on-going staff health education, has
improved attendance from 93 per cent in April to nearly 95 per cent last week.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
An attendance bonus scheme introduced by the company which offered operators
£250 if they attended 100 per cent of their shifts between June and August also
looks like being a success.
In addition, LU has reorganised the way it deploys its spare staff so that
they are used more efficiently.
