Building capacity and delivering world leading transport systems

Serco runs the full spectrum of transport systems around the world – from air and sea to road, and with a particular focus on rail. We have the capability to deliver end-to-end solutions, from the design and delivery of new transport systems to turning around underperforming transport services.

We help governments to overcome urban congestion and maintain vital transport links by providing deep expertise and managing complex transport programmes that deliver reliable performance, build future capacity, and keep citizens and economies moving.

Through a focus on the end-to-end passenger journey, delivery of operational excellence, and the application of intelligent systems and analytics, we are able to design and run more efficient transport services and deliver a better passenger experience.

Transport in the UK & Europe

Serco designs, operates and maintains heavy rail, light rail, passenger ferry, and cycle hire schemes in the UK & Europe – from the Scottish Caledonian Sleeper to Merseyrail, from the London Cycle Hire Scheme to NorthLink Ferries. We are also the largest non-government operator of civilian air traffic control in the world and offer a range of airside fire and rescue services.

Highlights

In the UK & Europe, we have delivered transport services covering heavy rail, metro, light rail, passenger ferries, and cycle hire schemes.
We are renowned for our high service standards and customer satisfaction for the services we deliver on behalf of Transport Scotland, Transport for London, Department for Transport and other local and combined authorities.
Our services include Caledonian Sleeper, Merseyrail, NorthLink Ferries, and the London Cycle Hire Scheme, among many others.
Merseyrail has been recognised as one of the most punctual and reliable railway networks in the UK with the highest levels of customer satisfaction. In 2013, Merseyrail was the first train operator to be awarded a ‘Putting the Customer First’ accreditation mark, the national standard for customer service. In June 2014, Merseyrail topped the National Passenger Survey for the third time with 93% for overall customer satisfaction, 11 points above the national average.The network also consistently scores at or over 95% in public performance measures i.e. the percentage of trains that cover their full journey length and arrive at their final destination within five minutes of the booked time measured against the planned timetable.
On Caledonian Sleeper, we are delivering a step change in service quality by enabling bookings to be made up to 12 months in advance of travel – a first for a UK rail company, introducing new menus on board the train that showcase local Scottish food and drink producers, opening a brand new Guest Services Centre located in Inverness supporting local jobs, and transforming the operation to be customer focussed working with hospitality partners to raise the standards of service.
We pioneered and operated the London Cycle Hire Scheme (LCHS) on behalf of Transport for London (TfL) since its inception in July 2010, now covering 120km2 providing 12,000 bikes across almost 800 stations, managing over 50 million hires and counting.
Last year we carried over 288,000 passengers, 55,000 cars, 135,000 sheep and 25,000 cattle between the shores of the Northern Isles on NorthLink Ferries, as well as transported 300,000 passengers between ScatSta Airport in the Shetlands and offshore oil and gas platforms.

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The value we bring...

Transferable Global Experience

Serco has global expertise in the design, setting up, operation, and maintenance of heavy rail, metro, light rail, ferry, road traffic, and cycle hire schemes across the globe – from the turnkey operation of the Dubai Tram, which is the first fully wireless system in the world and the Dubai Metro, one of the highest performing metro systems in the world, to redefining a luxury experience on the Scottish Caledonian Sleeper. We are also the largest non-government operator of civilian air traffic control in the world and offer a range of airside fire and rescue services. This means we can share global best practice, as well as tap into Serco’s other cross-sector capabilities and technologies. We have an international Centre of Excellence for Transport dedicated to maximising the benefits of this, made up of some of the world’s leading operators and maintenance specialists.

Public Service Ethos

Many of our people have joined us from the public sector and a public service ethos runs through our organisation. We manage and select our people to reinforce the values to which we aspire. We invest in training to help them live those values day-to-day. All of our people are trained, motivated, and empowered to make a positive difference beyond meeting the basic requirements of the contract. We work closely with the communities we serve and employ local staff.

Expert and Empowered People

We employ some of the best transport specialists in the world, in particular in rail and air navigation. As a global employer, we are also able to rapidly recruit and train new teams, share expertise across the globe, and draw in both local and international specialists.

Ability to Test and Innovate

We test and invest in innovative solutions, drawn from insight across all continents. Through the application of new technological solutions such the automation of toll roads, data analytics that predict transport flows, or passenger Apps that enable customer self-service, we can improve the citizen experience and reduce demand on the system.

Citizen-centred, Outcome Focused

We adopt a passenger-centric approach to design and operation, looking at the end-to-end passenger journey including:

Timeliness: Convenient, frequent services with curtaining headways and consistent journey times.
Systems and efficiency: Efficient, easy-to-use connections with integrated ticketing and the right information at the right time.
Reassurance: Clean, well-lit trains, stations, and interchanges where customers are safe and feel safe.
Comfort: Stations and trains that are vibrant, welcoming, and accessible for all customers.

Trusted Partnership

We work in strong partnership with our government clients and delivery partners to deliver the very best service through a positive and collaborative engagement and communication program. We often work within or as an extension to governments, not just as a contractor. Our international reach and service delivery expertise also means our partners can rely on us in multiple geographies, modes, and opportunities. We understand that stakeholder and community interests are critical to the successful delivery of any operation.

Scalable and Customised Solutions

Our dynamic culture means we can deliver a solution tailored to customer needs. Passenger and other services can be rapidly flexed according to demand, for example, we add capacity to meet peaks on the Dubai Metro.

Full Service Integration

We are experienced in every stage of setting up transport systems – from providing consultancy and “shadow” operations through to design, commissioning of infrastructure, operation, and maintenance. We can provide any or every part of the solution. We can also ensure the integration of our transport services with other providers to form an effective network solution.

Strong Governance and Risk Management

Improved corporate standards, organisation-wide training, clear operating procedures, and disciplined management processes help ensure strong governance, risk management, operational excellence, clear accountability, and excellent performance. The Serco Management System defines rules that govern the way we operate. Almost all of our contracts include measureable KPIs by which we track and drive performance.

Transport