Jim Gates, Managing Director of Serco Docklands Ltd said: “I am thrilled that Serco Docklands has won this prestigious award again this year. It reflects the dedication of our staff, who are totally committed to providing the highest quality of customer service. It also emphasises our successful partnership with DLR limited, our franchisor.”

At the awards ceremony on Thursday 5th September, 900 rail professionals heard that the judges were again impressed by the sheer quality of the Serco Docklands entry. “Few railway businesses have such an impact on community life, proving that the journey can be much more than a means to an end. Docklands is as much part of East London as Bow Bells.”

Jim Gates added “This result underlines the fact that the DLR franchise is consistently meeting and exceeding its targets, which increase over time. 24 new trains are currently being introduced into the fleet, enabling service frequency to be enhanced in line with passenger demand. The latest service improvements in August brought extended peak services, additional capacity and 50% more trains at weekends delivering a 10 minute turn up and go service.”

Kevin Beeston, Executive Chairman of Serco Group plc, said :
“To win the Best Operator award for the second year in succession is a great achievement for all our staff at Serco Docklands. It demonstrates the strength of running our contracts as businesses in their own right and our ability to deliver real improvements in efficiency and added value for our customers.”

The National Rail Awards are staged jointly by RAIL and New Civil Engineer journals.