LOOKING AT RESULTS: STRATFORD PULSE TRIAL

Stratford plays a vital role in ensuring that the Mildmay line operates on time and efficiently. With up to 21 combined arrivals and departures each hour at just two platforms, the high volume of train services can lead to very tight turnaround times, which may hinder the recovery of trains running late.

In the year leading up to the end of P6, delays at Stratford alone cost the industry around £660,000, funds that could have been used to enhance the railway.

This led to discussions on ideas that could fix this problem. The resulting hypothesis was that increasing presence on the platforms would enable quicker driver turnarounds, help mitigate delays, and assist in recovering from late services.

Our performance team proposed a trial run to test this hypothesis to TfL, and an eight-week trial with extra presence on the platform commenced in mid-August. The trial involved coordination between agency workers and managers from ARL, Network Rail, and TfL to gather valuable data and provide feedback on the trial.

So, what did the Stratford Pulse trial results reveal?

Initially, the trial led to a decrease in trains arriving on time but leaving late, which was an improvement. However, over the trial, these numbers stabilised and returned to the pre-trial numbers.

It didn’t suggest more presence on the platform was the silver billet we hoped for and we’re continuing to analyse the data

Therefore, this trial suggested additional people on the platform was not the silver bullet we hoped for to solve the problems with on-time performance at Stratford. However, the data revealed some key insights into the problem:

• It was found that on Platform 1, there is a delay all day; trains that arrive on time and leave late are most often between 8am to 10am and 4pm to 6pm.

• Comparatively, Platform 2 performed better and mainly struggled between 8am to 10am.

Looking at the data from this trial has helped eliminate numbers on the platforms as the cause for the delays at the Stratford station. Moreover, the data has revealed further insights that are being looked at for possible solutions at the moment.

In the meantime, the following measures are taking place to improve on-time performance at the station:

• Placing atomic clocks at driver depots to confirm precise timings for those on the platform to follow
• The ‘Ride on Time’ posters at the stations are helping guide drivers for on-time departures
• Customer announcements inform customers that doors may close 30 seconds before departure time.