Major industry award for DLR operator, Serco Docklands

Serco Docklands, operator of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), has been named Light Rail Operator of the Year in the 2012 UK Light Rail Awards. The award was presented to Serco Docklands by broadcaster and news correspondent, Nicholas Owen.

The Light Rail Awards are now in their sixth year and are recognised as the leading celebration of excellence in the Light Rail industry. Representatives from the major Light Rail manufacturers and suppliers worldwide were amongst the audience.

David Stretch, Managing Director of Serco Docklands, said "I am thrilled that the phenomenal efforts and achievements of everyone at Serco Docklands have been recognised. Our aim is to help make every journey matter for our passengers. Recognition from our peers across the industry is a wonderful accolade."

The Operator of the Year category is judged upon an operator's ability to offer an innovative, value for money service with direct passenger benefit. Over the last 12 months, Serco Docklands has faced its biggest challenge to date, preparing for and delivering an enhanced service during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

To help support and achieve the success of the world's first 'public transport Games', Serco Docklands:

• Introduced new timetables with three-car trains on all routes from January 2012

• Rolled out customer improvements in information and staffing

• Designed, built and commissioned a new control centre at Beckton

• Delivered 10 different bespoke timetables, running with longer trains and longer hours, to best serve Olympic visitors

• Delivered extended services with 45,000 extra staff hours covered.

During the Olympic Games the DLR carried 7.2 million passengers (over 100 per cent more passengers compared to the same period last year), and ran services with an average of 99 per cent of trains running to time.

Serco Docklands operates, maintains and markets the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) under franchise for Docklands Light Railway Limited, part of Transport for London. It is the busiest light railway in the UK and carried 83 million passengers last year.

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