For employees and stakeholders of Abellio / November 2014No.4

Operational performanceTop priority for all our contracts

magazine

Abellio wins ScotRail franchise“Delighted and incredibly excited by this opportunity”

Operating in a different leagueHow do we raise our operational performance?

WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOUAfter four editions we would like to know your opinion about The Abellio Way Magazine. Scan the QR code* and take the survey!

*Download the QR scanner in the app store. Alternatively, www.surveymonkey.com/s/abellioway

3 ABELLIO ACHIEVEMENTS AWARDS Celebrate your achievements, nominations

now open

4 ON THE ROAD WITH DOMINIC BOOTH “My old colleagues thought I was mad

to want to take on the job of building a business from a small base”

5 OUR PEOPLE Meet Thijs Jan Noomen, Director of

Projects

6 OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE The biggest driver of customer satisfaction

8 ABELLIO EXTENDS SERVICES TO SCOTLAND

“ScotRail franchise is a prestigious opportunity for Abellio”

10 MEANWHILE BACK AT … ABELLIO GERMANY Brand new company is set up to start

operating STS Net

12 MY ABELLIO WAY Bike & Go makes travelling from a-to-b

convenient and enjoyable

CONTENTS

The Abellio Way MagazineNumber 4 - November 2014Published by Abellio Group

P.O. Box 20253500 HA UtrechtThe Netherlands

COLOPHONThe Editorial Team Ed Coumans, James Dark, Yvonne Mulder, Wies Peters, Dirk van Sambeeck, Rose Teunissen (editor-in-chief), Nancy Visser, Marieke Thomassen, Eva Stijnman Roel Willems, Cameron Jones

Images Getty Images/George Clerk, iStockphoto, Jurjen Poeles, Simon Rawles, Aubrey Wade, Jonny WaltonEditing and design Gloedcommunicatie, Nijmegen

Printed by Mediacenter, RotterdamAll rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

It has only been a few weeks since the Scottish Government told us that Abellio had been selected to operate the ScotRail franchise. It’s an enormous achievement to win any transport contract in today’s ultra-competitive market, but to win a national railway is truly amazing. In 2012 when Abellio started its campaign to win the franchise we were under no illusion about the national significance of Scotland’s rail network. Our experience in the Netherlands has taught us how an efficient, safe and integrated network can create a competitive edge for a country. This autumn, our parent company NS celebrates 175 years of operating rail services in the Netherlands. This gives us an unrivalled pedigree and a parent with a clear vision that puts passengers first, second and third. Abellio is a relatively recent venture in that long history, and I feel proud that, in a fairly short time, we have established ourselves among the top UK operators and have a strong and growing business in Germany.So, in less than 6 months we have to be ready to launch ‘ScotRail operated by Abellio’. We have an enormous amount of work to do but I know it will be undertaken with enthusiasm, dedication and professionalism – all the hallmarks of the Abellio Way.Which reminds me to tell you about the 2015 Abellio Achievement Awards. Please do take the time to look around and nominate anyone you feel should be recognised for an outstanding contribution. With so much talent around, I am sure we can break last year’s record number of nominations. I look forward to them all!

Jeff HoogestegerAbellio Group Chief Executive Officer

COLUMN

Winning ScotRail:huge achievement

THE ABELLIO WAY MAGAZINE2

After the incredible success of last year’s inaugural Abellio Achievement Awards, we expect this year will be even better.

It’s time to nominate the people working with and alongside you at Abellio who you think have gone above and beyond a-to-b in the last year (2014). You can nominate a committed colleague, an inspiring leader, a team that truly embodies our values, or even yourself. So don’t hold back – the Abellio Achievement Awards are about recognising the great things Abellio people do and celebrating excellent work that makes a real difference to our colleagues, clients and customers all across Europe. We want to hear from you!

As with the 2014 awards, nominations cover six categories, and are open to anyone working at Abellio Group, Abellio OpCos and Abellio Joint Ventures. To make it easier, this year you can nominate online via a link to an automated form. You can nominate any person or team you wish and across any or all of the categories.

This year’s finalists will be invited to attend the Abellio Achievement Awards ceremony in March next year and each winner will receive a Gift Experience Voucher to spend on a day to remember. What would yours be? A day driving a classic car? A luxury spa experience?

The 2015 awards are set to be an exciting event, with the winner of the Abellio Employee of the Year award being chosen on the night. A live vote will decide the winner, selected from three shortlisted nominees for Employee of the Year and three finalists from the other categories. All will be present at the ceremony.

Six great prizes to be wonWe know that we have many exceptional, committed and talented people at Abellio and an important part of the Abellio Way is recognising our best people by celebrating their achievements, wherever they work within the business. So, with six great prizes to be won, get your nominations in by 28 November and it could be you, or a well deserving colleague attending the Abellio Achievement Awards event on March 12, 2015.

Above & beyond a-to-b

Award Categories· Leader of the Year award· Innovator of the Year award· The Abellio Way – Areas of Excellence award· Bringing the Abellio Values to Life award· Team of the Year award· Employee of the Year award; to be voted for live at the event

For more information and to make your nomination, please visit Abellio.com/aaaevent2015 and your local internal communica-tions point, before 28 November.

3ISSUE 4 – NOVEMBER 2014

’I want to get our name out there’ Dominic Booth realises that he is very lucky to enjoy coming into the office every day to work in an industry that he loves.

“Within a few weeks of joining British Rail as a management trainee, I knew that I loved the transport industry and the sheer scale of the task. It is such an important job to get people to work, to school, to visit friends – and to do that safely and reliably.”

He even enjoys the idea that he works in an industry where his team’s performance is so rigorously measured. “I really like that discipline – you can see real progress and it keeps you on your toes.”

The fact that Dominic relishes a challenge is evident from his decision in 2007 to leave National Express, then one of the UK’s largest bus and rail companies, and join Abellio when we were still a small, low profile company called NedRailways.

“All my old colleagues thought I was mad to want to take on the job of building a business from a small base. But to me it seemed very exciting. I also liked the idea of working for NS which has a strong railway culture, and it gave me the opportunity of working in other countries.”

Biggest initial challengeDominic says the biggest challenge initially was “getting NS to have the confidence to let us stand on our own two feet”. At the time, the company’s only involvement in the UK was through joint ventures with Serco, with NedRailways seen at that point as the junior partner.

He was also instrumental in persuading NS to consider entering the bus market in the UK. “I looked at the growth targets we had been set and realised that we would not hit

them through rail franchises alone,” Dominic recalls. This, in turn, led to NS changing its policy to include the possibility of making acquisitions as well as bidding for franchises.

Of course, buying what became Abellio London and Surrey was not an easy option. “We did get it for a very good price but it was a failing operator and those first months of going to Transport for London meetings when we were at the bottom of the league table were tough. Now we are top, it is a pleasure.”*

Dominic enjoys the mixture of dealings with both bus and rail sectors and sees many opportunities for best practice exchange between these modes.

Always about peopleThe competitive nature of bidding for new work is also extremely exciting. Bidding for rail franchises comes up only a few times a year (there are 20 in the UK, usually running for 8-10 years each), while Abellio makes bids for bus routes every few weeks.

One of Dominic’s next challenges is to have Abellio recognised and respected by the UK travelling public as much as it is now within the rail and bus industries. “I want to get our name out there, recognised as an operator of quality that everyone is happy to deal with.”

In the final analysis, Dominic says successful public transport is always about people – customers, staff and clients. “At the end of the day, while you need structures and systems that work, it is all based on the team which delivers the service to the people who use our rail and bus networks.”

*See ALS turnaround story on page 6 and 7.

4 THE ABELLIO WAY MAGAZINE

Who: Thijs Jan NoomenJob description: Director of ProjectsWork place: UK and SwedenCurrently working on: I have just finished a bid for a rail transport contract in and around Gothenburg and have now started preparing for the bid to retain our Abellio Greater Anglia franchise, as well as helping out on major projects at Abellio Greater Anglia

ourpeople

with Abellio’s Managing Director UK Dominic Booth

ON THE ROAD

Abellio Group is a melting pot of all kinds of people, cultures and backgrounds. That is what makes the company so unique. Meet our people!

“The biggest challenge initially was getting NS to have the confidence to let us stand on our own two feet”

What does your work involve? “Forming a team to work on several complex long lead activities that will underpin our new bid for Abellio Greater Anglia and cannot be done in the usual three to four month bid period. This will ensure current committed obligations are de live red, and the impact of major programmes such as Crossrail is well- managed.”

What does the Abellio Way mean to you? “The Abellio values help to underpin the way we do business. The internal benefits of the Abellio Way are also important. It did help the new people in the Swedish bid team to understand how to write the bid.”

What do you like best about working for Abellio? “I like the fact that we are operating in the transport sector, which is an important service in society and in many people’s lives. I also enjoy the competitiveness of bidding.”

What do you do in your spare time? “In my fantasies I am exercising, partying, travel - ling the world, reading, and having wine-fuelled philosophical discussions with friends. In reality I cook a lot and take long walks with my family.”

Who are you passing the Abellio mug to for the next issue?“I would like to hand over the mug to Julie Pummell, executive assistant at Abellio London & Surrey.”

“I ENJOY THE COMPETITIVENESS OF BIDDING”

Born: Teeside, north-east England Age: 50 Background: joined British Rail as a management trainee after graduating with a degree in biology, and has worked for various railway companies since then Enjoys: working in the transport industry – it is a really important job and very challenging Hobbies: tennis, cycling

ISSUE 4 – NOVEMBER 2014 5

OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE

A different league“We don’t just want to be the best. We want to be in a different league,” says Alan Pilbeam, Managing Director, UK Bus. And with Abellio London and Surrey staying at the top of the Transport for London performance table for 18 months in a row, his team is obviously doing something right.Alan believes that improving operational performance starts with getting the right people on board. “We need passionate, self-disciplined and motivated teams who understand why compliance with the processes is vital. You need to manage the system not the people.” Then it needs the right foresight and rigorous, relentless oversight. “Foresight identifies where we want to take the business, setting challenging targets and timescales and producing detailed action plans,” Alan explains. The plans are based on both EFQM and The Abellio Way models, with the addition of BHAG – big, hairy, audacious goals – to encourage step change as well as continuous improvement.

Operational performance is a top priority for all our contracts because we know there is no bigger driver of customer satisfaction. “Surveys always show that punctuality and reliability are the top customer concerns,” says Jan Chaudhry, UK Deputy MD, Operations & Fleet.

When the UK rail industry was privatised in the mid-1990s, it was split into around 100 different parts. This caused some issues when trying to improve punctuality and reliability because railways require a ‘whole system’ approach. Now the different companies in the rail industry are finding innovative ways to work closely together – particularly train operators and Network Rail, the infrastructure manager.Jan is the Abellio representative on the National Task Force, the group of leaders trying to drive improvements in service delivery on UK railways. The task force has three priorities:• Better timetables• Better asset performance (both infrastructure and fleet)• Better operational management.

“One of the things the National Task Force has been grappling with is the trade-offs between operational performance, capacity, journey time and cost,” Jan says. This is particularly important on congested corridors.” (see diagram)Last April, the taskforce launched the Performance Planning Reform Programme (PPRP). Each GB TOC and Network Rail Route has been issued with a standard toolbox to drive up operational performance. “It is designed so that we all can learn from what has happened in the last day/period/quarter and translate that into performance strategies going forward,” explains Jan.

Team perspective

Delivering what you promise in your timetable

“OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE IS A TOP PRIORITY”

Jan Chaudhry, UK Deputy MD, Operations & Fleet

ALAN PILBEAMManaging Director, UK Bus

trade-offs

opera - tional perfor-mance

journeytime

capacity

cost

The four elements

THE ABELLIO WAY MAGAZINE6

QUARTERLY

* Monitoring future speed restrictions

* Primary and reactionary delay hotspot analysis

* Review of upcoming infrastructure changes

* Pre-timetable change checks

OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Making headway Abellio acquired the Abellio London & Surrey (ALS) bus company five years ago and has since recruited a new management team to help turn the business around. The rise from bottom to top of the Transport for London bus performance league began with a ruthlessly honest appraisal followed by an intensive training programme. “The system was over-complicated and resources were used inefficiently,” explains Mark McGuinness, Perfor-mance Director at ALS. With 80% of services measured on headway (the gap between buses), changing how this was managed by the controllers was vital. A further step was encouraging staff to use a screen available on their radio showing how close they are to the bus in front. This also allows them to adapt speeds so as to maintain the correct headways and prevent our customers having to wait too long for their bus. “We are at the top of the table but in the very volatile traffic conditions in London, it is a full-time job ensuring we stay there,” says Mark.

MARK MCGUINNESSPerformance Director at Abellio London & Surrey

PPRP Toolbox

Abellio Group: most innovativeBy the end of 2016, Abellio’s aim is to be known as, and be able to demonstrate that we are, the most innovative public transport operating group in Europe. Abellio’s innovation vision was discussed in September during the Abellio Innovation Exchange in London. The workshop was co-organised by Abellio and FutureRailway and recent results from the Innovation Capability Maturity Model (ICMM) were shared. The results showed reservations amongst employees regarding the sustainability of idea sharing schemes. “Innovation is an area in which we must accept a certain amount of experiment,” says Ian McConnell, Group Head of Projects and Planning. “Making mistakes shouldn’t always be regarded as negative, as long as you learn from them in the future.”

ISSUE 4 – NOVEMBER 2014 7

* Right time starts from depots

* Right time starts from origin

stations

* Good infrastructure start-up

and possession management

DAILY

* Dwell time vs plan at key stations* Performance metrics broken

down by service group

PERIODIC

Abellio goes to Scotland

THE ABELLIO UK BID TEAM IN THE

MIDST OF COMPILING OUR PLANS FOR

SCOTRAIL

Abellio’s record of collaborative, partnership working rests at the heart of our plans to transform the ScotRail franchise for passengers and employees. These plans range from brand new trains and Scotland’s first true intercity network to innovative flexible fares for passengers and an innovative gain share programme for employees. Dominic Booth, Managing Director Abellio UK

Winning transforms Abellio into one of the major players in the UK market and demonstrates how confidence in our abilities, and focus on customers and the client in combination with responsible bidding can pay off. Mike Kean, Rail Development Director Abellio UK

On October 8, Transport Scotland awarded the ScotRail franchise to Abellio, starting April 2015. ScotRail provides passenger train services throughout Scotland. The chance to operate Scotland’s national rail network was recognised from the outset as one of the most prestigious and desirable opportunities for Abellio since the company was established in 2001. Scotland and the Netherlands’ share a long and rich heritage of trade and co-operation in both business and culture. There are also strong similarities between the rail networks of both countries. In addition both governments share a mutual understanding of the importance of quality public service and the strategic role of railways in society.

Abellio a’ dol a dh’Alba

THE ABELLIO WAY MAGAZINE8

Abellio Way Special Edition –coming soon!Soon you will find a The Abellio Way Special Edition on ScotRail in your offices. A special edition with interviews and articles featuring every detail of Abellio’s plans for ScotRail and the benefits for passengers.

Abellio a’ dol a dh’Alba

DAVID MIDDLETON, CE OF TRANSPORT

SCOTLAND AND JEFF HOOGESTEGER,

CEO OF ABELLIO GROUP CELEBRATING

THE FRANCHISE CONTRACT

MR KEITH BROWN, SCOTTISH MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND

VETERANS AND JEFF HOOGESTEGER, CEO OF ABELLIO GROUP

WALKING ON A PLATFORM AT WAVERLY STATION, EDINBURGH

Back in 2012, when Abellio embarked on this journey, we were under no illusions about the national significance of Scotland’s rail network. Two years later, we feel very honoured and proud that Scotland has entrusted Abellio with the crucial duty of running its railway from April 1, 2015. The question that I’ve been asked most frequently is: “What will Abellio do to transform Scotland’s railway?” The answer lies not with Abellio but with the vision and meticulous planning undertaken by Scotland’s Transport Minister Keith Brown and the team at Transport Scotland over the past three years. Throughout the process from consultation to specification to negotiation, they have focused fully on the Scottish Government’s Purpose which is about creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through sustainable economic growth. Every aim and objective for the new franchise has flowed consistently from that Purpose. Therefore, I would like to pay tribute to Mr Brown for his vision and confidence in Abellio. I would also like to place on record Abellio’s thanks to Transport Scotland Commercial Director Bill Reeve and his team for running an exemplary procurement process, and our thanks to Transport Scotland Chief Executive David Middleton for his work in finalising the franchise contracts. Together with Transport Scotland and in collaboration with our partners Network Rail, we will give Scotland the rail service it deserves. Winning the ScotRail franchise is a superlative achievement which everyone in Abellio can feel justifiably proud of. A special thankyou goes to Mike Kean and the superb UK bid team for their focus and unswerving commitment. But I would also like to thank every single colleague across the Abellio family for the support they have given throughout. We have truly taken Abellio beyond a-to-b!Jeff Hoogesteger, CEO of Abellio Group

ISSUE 4 – NOVEMBER 2014 9

In late 2012, Abellio won the contract to operate the Saale-Thuringia-Südharz network (STS Net). A brand new company is being set up to a very tight timetable, complete with new staff, new rolling stock and new operations.

Abellio will start operating STS Net – ten lines covering 575 kilometres – for a period of 15 years from 2015. With the company’s first employee, Operational Manager Stephan Schreier, beginning work only in mid-2013, the schedule is tough. “This is the most extensive start-up of a private railway undertaking seen

in Germany to date,” says Stephan Krenz, managing director of Abellio Germany. “We’re in the spotlight and we’re absolutely determined to accomplish this task.”

Abellio Germany faces many challenges in launching STS Net which are quite different to those faced by Abellio teams in England because there is a need to build an entirely new operation. They range from ordering trains to planning and building a maintenance company through to recruiting the entire workforce of 350. Stephan Schreier has meanwhile been joined by expert staff in key roles. Currently the team consists of 18

colleagues who are working on business operations, maintenance, pricing and sales, human resources and communication. Dirk Ballerstein was appointed company managing director and in November 2013, they all officially moved into Abellio’s Halle an der Saale office.

High quality trainsImmediately after winning the contract, 35 new Bombardier Talent 2 trains were ordered. Krenz explains: “The tendering authorities highlighted the importance of well above average rolling stock to operate

MerseyrailIMPROVING HAMILTON SQUARE

Work started at the end of September to refurbish Hamilton Square, one of Merseyrail’s five underground

stations. Improvements will be made to platforms and tunnel areas, with new flooring and brighter lighting making the station look cleaner, lighter and less cluttered. Upgraded tech-nologies will enhance passenger information, enabling customers to navigate the network and plan their journeys more easily. The work at Hamilton Square is part of Network Rail’s £40m investment programme to renovate all five stations in Liverpool’s city centre. Three are already complete and the final station, Moorfields, will be refurbished next year.

Abellio Scandinavia STOCKHOLM OFFICEAbellio Scandinavia has

opened a new office in Stockholm. A small office has been retained in Malmö. “Abellio monitors the markets in Denmark, Norway and Finland, but our full focus is currently on Sweden,” says

Abellio Scandinavia CEO Niclas Blomqvist. “We are preparing a bid for a conces-sion in Sweden and are awaiting the decision.” In addition to moving to Stockholm, three new employees have been hired to make Abellio Scandinavia more competitive and

improve the chances of winning future tenders. The newly recruited employees are Kristina Ranudd as Tender Director, Hans Nilsson as Operating Director and Magnus Willingfors as Planning Manager.

Northern RailPLATINUM!Northern Rail has been awarded Platinum status in the Business in the Commu-nity (BITC) Environment Index, the highest possible status and a significant improvement on its previous Silver ranking.With a score of 97%, against an average of 77% this year, Northern’s commitment to be recognised as the UK’s most sustainable rail operator is clearly on track. The accolade recognises Northern’s commitment to

Abellio Germany

MEANWHILE BACK AT ...

Full steam ahead for Saale-Thuringia-Südharz network

10 THE ABELLIO WAY MAGAZINE

tackling climate change. Obtaining third party verification for the company’s carbon footprint, along with major improvements in waste management through the use of dry mixed recycling, was highly praised by BITC. The solid foundations of North-ern’s ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 accredited Management Systems also helped bridge the gap between Silver and Platinum status.

Abellio London & Surrey DONATION TO SCHOOL PROJECTOn July 19, Abellio London & Surrey’s Walworth depot celebrated Transport for London’s Year of the Bus with the local

community by opening its doors to the public. Visitors could choose from a range of bus-themed activities and all proceeds generated on the day were raised for charity. Camberwell After School Project (CASP) was chosen as one of the charities to support as its work is closely aligned with the company’s Abellio Bus Communities initiative. A cheque for £1,635 was presented to CASP by Abellio London & Surrey’s Managing

Director Tony Wilson on September 24.

Abellio Greater AngliaINSPIRING STAFFAbellio Greater Anglia continues to ‘Inspire’ staff with over 2,600 colleagues attending the customer service training course to date. Results are evident across all departments, including the fantastic achievement of 100

conductors scoring 100% in the Service Quality Surveys. The company is currently aiming to gain Institute of Customer Service accreditation for the Inspire program me before the end of 2014 Abellio Greater Anglia is also really pleased to announce that both the train presenta-tion and HR teams have achieved Investors in People (IiP) GOLD status.

regional transport services, some of which run up to 300 kilometres.” This includes lighting, spacious seating areas and con temporary lounge compartments, as well as a versatile sales system featuring 150 new ticket machines both at the stations and inside the trains. There will also be a conductor on every train.

Record speedAfter much consideration, the team decided to establish its own maintenance company in Sangerhausen, a railway junction on the STS Net, and Abellio purchased a 50,000m2

site from Deutsche Bahn in December 2013. The submission of plans in March 2014 to build a train maintenance depot and a washing installation attracted substantial media attention. “The regional authorities were particularly pleased with this invest-ment in an economically underdeveloped region,” explains Krenz. “Just two months later, we received the building permit, which had been processed at record speed, with the first spade going into the ground the very same day.”

The Sangerhausen railway junction was bombed during the Second World War so

the building team is careful to search for explosives during the construction, which is scheduled for completion in summer 2015. The Bombardier trains are also due to be delivered then and operations on the Saale-Thuringia-Südharz network are scheduled to launch in December 2015.

LAUNCHING CONSTRUCTION OF THE TRAIN MAIN-TENANCE DEPOT IN SANGERHAUSEN. THOMAS WEBEL, THE SACHSEN ANHALT MINISTER OF TRANSPORT (LEFT), AND STEPHAN KRENZ, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ABELLIO GERMANY

ISSUE 4 – NOVEMBER 2014 11

Bridget and Peter BurgessShipley, West Yorkshireway

my

Where did you come from and did you enjoy the journey?Peter: It was a very, very smooth and comfortable service from York with an easy change in Leeds and right on time all the way.

What is your destination and why?Peter: It’s Shipley. We want to have a ride along the canal and have a little look at Saltaire, call at East Riddlesden Hall which is a National Trust property and have lunch there. Then we’ll probably keep

travelling a little further along to Skipton because it’s wonderful how canals go through scenic places.

Why are you renting a Bike & Go bike?Bridget: It is a lot easier than taking bikes on the train and all the hassle that involves. These bikes are very easy to ride, they are comfortable and probably better for cycling along flat areas like canalside paths than up big hills.Peter: It feels like a Dutch bike: strong and reliable.

Who would you choose to join you on your bike journey?Bridget: David Attenborough would have been my choice of companion. He could enthuse us about the wildlife, such as the butterflies in the garden at East Riddlesden Hall. Peter: I’d quite like to learn a little about bike racing from Sir Bradley Wiggins, though I’d have to pedal very hard to keep up with him!

A year after its launch, passengers at our UK

rail franchises are using our Bike & Go service in growing numbers.

This innovative station cycle hire con-cept makes travelling

from a-to-b a lot more convenient and enjoy-able, as two Northern

Rail customers explain.