BELFAST CITY CENTRE CHANGES

Transcription

1 SUMMER 2011 YOUR STAFF MAGAZINE BELFAST CITY CENTRE CHANGES NEW ROAD TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS PAGE 7 AwardS success PAGES 8&9 NEW CHAIR APPOINTED PAGE 10 COMPETITION! PAGE 16

2 02 Elaine McCurdy Editor WELCOME TO EXPRESSLINES Summer 2011 YOUR STAFF MAGAZINE Welcome! Welcome to the summer issue of Expresslines. In this issue we include news about the effects the changes within Belfast City Centre will have on Metro services, the announcement of John Trethowan s appointment as NITHC Chair and an update on the Translink Programme. Andrew Muir chats about his involvement in local athletics and we hear from Brendan Cousins about his work experience as a placement student. We also have a round up of the awards success companywide, with a special focus on William Scott, a Fitter at Ulsterbus Coleraine, who was awarded one of the highest engineering accolades in the UK. Remember to send in your news and photos for the autumn issue. Elaine McCurdy Editor EXPRESSLINES IS THE STAFF MAGAZINE FOR TRANSLINK EXPRESSLINES SUMMER 2011 is published by Translink, the integrated public transport services provided by Metro, NIRailways and Ulsterbus. Our vision is to provide integrated travel solutions that are attractive, sustainable and good value. PRODUCTION Editorial: Marketing Department Design: Whitenoise, Photography: Various Print: Commercial Graphics, This magazine is available, upon request, in a range of formats eg, braille, large print or audio tape. Please ring Contents Mailbox 03 News in Brief 04 All in a days work 05 News in Brief 06 Keeping you connected 07 Awards News 10 This time it s Personal 11 Promotions 12 News in Brief 13 elaine.mccurdy@translink.co.uk Telephone: Post or pop in: Expresslines, Marketing Department, Translink, Central Station, East Bridge Street, Belfast BT1 3PB Family Life Charity 15 Competition 16

3 Mail box 03 Translink Metro Driver Jason Wilson shows courtesy, consideration and willingness to help I observed excellent service today from one of your drivers. I am a Rehabilitation Worker for the Visually Impaired and have been teaching a client the route from his house to Andersonstown shops. The driver was extremely helpful to my client, advising that he had lowered the bus step to the kerb, making sure he got on the bus, helping with his SmartPass as well as checking what stop he needed. All of this was done is a very pleasant manner which made the whole travel experience for my client so much less stressful and is certainly very much appreciated by him and myself. He was also very helpful to a lady in a wheelchair, unfortunately the bus already had its full quota of wheelchairs, but the driver ascertained where she needed to go and helped her get another bus quickly. I have to commend the driver for his courtesy, consideration and willingness to help 2 people for whom public transport is a challenge at the best of times. Your driver by his manner and professionalism did his best to make sure that the Translink service was an accessible and friendly experience. D Roberts, Lisburn Driver Martin Coney praised for good service My wife and I had a good experience on the 1A service, thanks to a considerate driver. He saw us short of the bus stop and waited to allow us to board and greeted us in a friendly manner. The drive to the city centre was noticeably smooth, no sharp stopping, but especially customer focused. An elderly man with a stick got on the bus and the driver waited until he was seated before he drove off. He greeted all in a friendly manner. He deserves to be recognised for the service he provided. G Hughes, Glengormley Driver Anna Pietrzycka-Zajac provides high standard of customer care I am partially disabled and when I boarded the bus Anna waited until I reached my seat before moving off. I carefully watched throughout the remainder of my journey and she showed the same concern for all her passengers, a very pleasurable experience. Please pass on my thanks and best wishes to this driver who should be held up as an example of standard of customer care. S Jamison, Belfast Translink NIRailways Staff make travelling by train a pleasure My husband uses a wheelchair for his disability. We took a journey from Belfast to Castlerock and the staff, from the ticket office through to the ground staff at the platform and the conductors on the trains were marvellous - I can t thank them enough. We didn t have to ask for assistance, it was waiting for us and it made travelling with Translink a pleasure. My husband was treated with respect, courtesy and dignity and the whole experience was a credit to your staff training. Your staff are marvellous and a credit to the company. We look forward to being regular travellers over the summer months. L Watt, Belfast RNIB group full of praise for rail staff Our day was great; from the help we received boarding at Mossley, on the train and our return journey. Our group thoroughly enjoyed their day and the helpful manner of all your staff. Please pass a special word of thanks to Stacey Loughlin and Julie Hamilton, the guards on the trains, and also to Jimmy Wilmot in Coleraine for their help and attention to all our needs. The new train was extremely comfortable and easily accessible for our group and the patience and attention offered by all your staff was greatly appreciated. Our return journey was disrupted by a major incident. However, we were well looked after and kept well informed of alternative arrangements made for us. Several of our group stated it added to the adventure of the day for them! Overall we had a good day, thanks to the attention to detail of your staff. We hope this sets a precedence for future travel with Translink NIR. Looking forward to our next journey. S McClure, RNIB Liz Forrester, Customer Service Coordinator, went beyond the call of duty We recently visited Northern Ireland and wanted to thank you for a lovely experience on the rail system between Belfast and Portrush. The trains were clean, punctual and the staff were efficient. I wish we had a rail system like it in the USA! One employee Liz Forrester went beyond the call of duty to help arrange our travel and also onwards to Dublin. She gave us excellent advice and provided several options for bus and rail to suit our needs. She was professional yet very friendly and outgoing. We had a very positive experience on NIRailways and Ulsterbus while staying in Northern Ireland. K & B Kutz, Iowa USA Translink Ulsterbus First Aid assistance from Inspector Stephen Willis at Ulsterbus Antrim I would like to thank you for your very kind help when I had severe bleeding after recent surgery to my ear. You dealt with it very competently, stopped the bleeding and dressed the ear in a professional manner, as comments from the hospital staff echoed. While the experience was frightening at the time, your attention was most appreciated and after some hospital treatment I was allowed home in a comfortable state. Please share my thanks with Joe Hughes, Shunter. E Craig, Bangor Summer Rambler means it s great to leave the car behind Thank you for putting the summer Rambler ticket on again this year; can I assure you that I, and a lot of others I know, use it all the time and it makes such a difference to our summer. Thanks to all the drivers, it s great to leave the car behind and get out and about with someone else doing the driving. G Quinn Driver Andrew McKinless a credit to Ulsterbus I wish to express my deep appreciation and respect for one of your drivers during a road traffic accident when a young girl got off the bus and then walked out in front of a car. Your driver was calm, reassuring and called 999. He displayed calmness, reassurance and gentleness. Ulsterbus should be proud to employ him as he is such a credit. M Donnelly, Lisburn

4 04 News in Brief Sustainability plans for Antrim X2 Factors Summer Success Translink has unveiled development plans for Antrim Bus and Rail Stations that will involve the construction of a new integrated modern and sustainable passenger facility to serve the local area. A delegation from a European SusStation project an initiative that supports the construction of sustainable, low carbon stations across Europe recently visited Antrim to discuss the innovative refurbishment and extension to complement the existing building. The new station, which will include sustainable features and technology, will be Prosecutions Update During the six-month period, January to June 2011, 85 prosecutions against individual offenders were secured in the courts system by Translink s Secretariat Office. 43 of the prosecutions related to safety offences, including: failure to observe level crossing warning systems, trespassing and bridge strikes. A bridge strike at Lissue Road, Antrim resulted in recovered costs of 13,926 for repairs. An individual who failed to observe the warning more environmentally friendly and operate more efficiently. Infrastructure Executive, Clive Bradberry, said: The proposed integrated designs for Antrim raise the bar in terms of environmental and sustainable station development in Northern Ireland. Sustainability is a key priority for Translink. We recognise the impact our organisation can have on the environment. Public transport by its very nature is a sustainable mode of travel and is instrumental in helping cut carbon emissions. Pictured: (l-r) Translink, Department for Regional Development, and local Antrim representatives along with European SusStation partners at Antrim station. system at William Street, Lurgan was charged 300 and disqualified from driving for 18 months. 42 of the prosecutions involved ticket, travel and behaviour offences, including: assault, burglary, disorderly behaviour and no valid ticket. An individual charged with burglary at Yorkgate was sentenced to 8 months in prison. An individual charged with common assault and disorderly behaviour at Great Victoria Street was sentenced to 2 months in prison The total amount recovered, including costs for Passengers travelling from Belfast to Dublin Airport have been benefiting from Translink s brand new X2 Goldline Express coach service. The direct coach service caters for the increased customer demand on coach travel to Dublin Airport during the busy summer period. Running until 3 September and operated jointly with Bus Eireann, the X2 service has no stops between destinations and provides six daily departures from both Belfast Europa Buscentre and Dublin Airport. Passengers can sit back and relax onboard a modern, frequent and comfortable service and also benefit from great value fares and a car parking deal which really completes our integrated park-coach-fly approach and makes the whole airport journey experience a hassle-free one. David Graham, Assistant Service Delivery Manager, reports: Since its introduction on 29 May the popularity of the X2 service has grown rapidly; with numbers averaging the high 30 s per departure from Belfast. 30,000 worth of tickets were bought online alone during June and July; pre-booked seats offers peace of mind for holiday makers and also allows us to better manage resources and increase airport travel times. Pictured: (l-r) Passenger Leonardo Biagioli from Italy with Frank Clegg, General Manager Bus Services, at the launch of X2.

5 All in a days work 05 Brendan Cousins, Student Surveyor On completion of his placement year, Brendan Cousins reflects on the year s experience he has gained and the role of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHC) Property Department. NITHC is the parent company of the publicly owned bus and rail companies Northern Ireland Railways, Ulsterbus and Citybus (trading as Metro) which operate under the brand name of Translink. How does a placement year help towards your degree? As a student surveyor this employment was to assist me in gaining experience and practical knowledge toward my degree and RICS accreditation to become a fully qualified chartered surveyor. I am grateful to have been given this opportunity. I believe this to be the best company to gain experience relevant to my degree because of the wide ranging tasks I was involved in, and also for the level of support and guidance towards my learning and the personal level at which it was given. What role does the NITHC Property Department play within the company? The property team plays a vital role in delivering the property strategy set out by NITHC s Board and in liaising and working with Translink particularly the Infrastructure, Property and Procurement Teams. Working towards creating a better property portfolio for the company. The department was originally created to manage NITHC s property portfolio and to provide additional revenue to support the provision of public transport but now has a much wider remit including advising on land purchases and disposals and managing the company s commercial spaces within stations and providing strategic advice on all major property and construction projects. Who else is employed within the department? Within the property team there is well over 120 years experience in the property sector: Head of Estates, Colin Campbell, manages the property team. Three Estate Surveyors: Blair McCullough, Mark McKinstry and Sandy Moore, deal with purchases and disposals, leases and compensation etc. Management Surveyor, Steven Graham, deals with property management. Property Secretary, Lisa McCool, provides secretarial and administrative support. What work have you been involved in? I looked after abandonment requests along with any other work allocated to me by the rest of the team. A number of projects were ongoing, one of which is the new railway project at Adelaide. During your placement what insight have you gained? Commercial awareness continues to be of major importance; the current economic situation is having a detrimental effect on all property values and matters. I have seen that some of the work undertaken is similar to other estate management or commercial agencies. For instance, the negotiating and managing of leases and licences for tenants and units of NITHC s commercial properties. This can vary between trying to agree the terms and conditions of a lease to ensuring that a tenant s problems are addressed or that the tenant complies with the terms of their lease agreement. However, the role within NITHC can vary enormously, much more than that of a commercial agent, for example: the negotiating with landowners to aid Translink s current task of closing user worked crossings, purchasing and letting land, and dealing with abandonment requests from landowners across Northern Ireland. As well as conducting rent review negotiations with mobile phone company operators and understanding compensation rules. All of this experience has been great for my own professional development.

6 06 News in Brief milesbetter Creative thinking for continuous improvement Translink Programme update The Translink Programme was launched to review the way we do business and identify areas where we can improve. Richard Knox, Programme Manager, provides an update on the key areas being addressed. Leadership and Change A draft report is being finalised which looks at identifying a behaviour and competency framework that could be applied across the Management Professional & Technical (MPT) grade. Performance Management Good progress continues to be made, with an outline plan developed on how a performance management programme should look and an initial project timeline. The search is on to find ways we can do things better. We are always on the look out for fresh ideas on how we can improve our business and who better to advise us than our employees. So why not submit your ideas and suggestions to Milesbetter. Simply fill in a suggestion form and if it is successful you could earn yourself up to 1000 in gift vouchers for a range of stores. A form is available from your line manager/supervisor or it can be downloaded from the intranet under Employee Information. Employee Engagement and Internal Communications Work has been carried out on the MPT survey alongside market research company Ipsos MORI. A draft new Translink Communications Strategy has been produced and a series of programmes to enhance employee engagement are being developed. Strategic Learning and Development Work continues on the development of a structured development programme for the MPT group focusing on leadership, professional and business skills. European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) An EFQM healthcheck process has been completed; results are currently with Executives and will be used to progress business excellence within Translink. Business Continuity Management We are nearing the end of the Business Continuity Management process which will see the development of a Business Impact Analysis paper. This will build our resilience and provide the capability for an effective response that safeguards the interests of our key stakeholders, reputation, brand and value creating activities. All the above work will help us strive for continuous improvement within our organisation. Richard Knox Richard Knox, Head of Organisational Development, has been elected to serve as President of Lisburn Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber, which is celebrating its 50th year, represents and serves its members by lobbying and influencing at a local, regional and national level, to deliver development opportunities, provide networking opportunities, deliver professional opportunities and forums and give advice, guidance, and information. Members of the Chamber are made up from various industries including, retail, business and leisure sectors and together they form a network, which assists with the continued growth and prosperity of Lisburn. We wish Richard well on his appointment.

7 Keeping you connected 07 Belfast City Centre Changes New road traffic arrangements are being introduced to reduce general traffic levels in Belfast City Centre. Because of these changes some Translink Metro bus stops, routes and services will be altered. The road traffic arrangements are being made as a result of the Public Realm Developments and the Belfast on the Move Transport Master Plan. These DRD Sustainable Transport Enabling Measures together with the DSD Streets Ahead Enabling Measures are part of a wider project to reorganise traffic management within Belfast City Centre to facilitate the reduction in general traffic levels and encourage the use of Public Transport, walking and cycling. Work on Sustainable Transport Enabling Measures started May 2011 and is due to be delivered over a number of phases. The first phase of work will be completed September 2011 with the final phase due to be completed during To facilitate new traffic flow in the city centre, from 1 September some Translink Metro terminal points will be relocated and some services will operate via new routes through the city. These changes will also allow Metro to capitalise on the new bus priority measures being implemented including new bus lanes and bus priority at signalised junctions. Optimising Services Translink must focus on making the best use of the resources available in order to continue to provide better services overall for passengers, while continuing to deliver integrated travel solutions that are attractive, sustainable and good value. Communication Plans To make this as easy a transition as possible for our passengers the Marketing Department are implementing a wide range of activity: Notification to passengers Leaflet detailing changes and including a map Public Notices Posters on buses New timetables printed Website & social media Staff Communication Staff Briefing Contact Centre Media News releases issued to relevant regional press Generic Timetable press release for wider issue Traffic and Travel reminders to highlight new timetable Stakeholders including DRD, Belfast City Council, MLA s/mps and Consumer Council NI will be sent information detailing the changes along with briefing letters. Full information will be available to the public from mid-august onwards and Translink customer information teams will also be on hand in the city centre from end of August / early September to help passengers with finding their new bus stops. Pictured: Belfast City Centre departure map showing the new Metro departure points

8 08 Awards Translink Bus Engineer wins top award Stations clean-up at TIDY Translink Awards William Scott, a Fitter at Ulsterbus Coleraine, was awarded one of the highest engineering accolades in the UK at the IRTE Skills Challenge ceremony on 27 June (held at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster). William beat stiff nationwide competition to win the prestigious award of Top Scoring Mechanical Technician, positioning him as one of the best in the UK. The award was a result of months of preparation, which saw bus engineers from across the UK compete against each other in practical engineering challenges. William was also successful with his Translink team-mates, Terry Daly, an Electrician at Ulsterbus Enniskillen, and Neil Scott, a Coachbuilder at Ulsterbus Bangor, in the competition s top award, Best Collaboration on Teamwork Challenge Award, again beating engineers from some of the UK s largest operators, such as First, Arriva and Go-Ahead. Speaking after the awards, William said: Winning the top scoring mechanical technician award was a great honour, an excellent achievement as the calibre of the other competitors was so high. David Carson, Technical Engineer, commented: The work carried out by all our engineers is essential to the company as they not only ensure that our fleet is maintained to a high standard but also enable us to keep our services running. I congratulate everyone who participated in this competition as these awards acknowledge the great work they do. IRTE, a membership organisation for engineering professionals in road transport, launched the competition last November. The aim of the IRTE Skills Challenge is to reward excellence in engineering, whilst celebrating an industry that often is unrecognised. Pictured: (l-r) William Scott, Fitter at Ulsterbus Coleraine, David Carson, Technical Engineer, Neil Scott, Coachbuilder at Ulsterbus Bangor, and Terry Daly, Electrician at Ulsterbus Enniskillen. Bus and train stations across Northern Ireland are celebrating following their polished performances in the annual TIDY Translink Awards. The awards partnership between Translink and TIDY Northern Ireland recognises the efforts of employees to build a cleaner, tidier and more environmentally-friendly bus and rail network. Platinum station winners: Coleraine Bus & Rail Centre, Carrick Train Station, Jordanstown Rail Halt, Portadown Train Station and Downpatrick Buscentre. Gold station winners: Foyle Street Bus Station Derry, Londonderry Train Station, Central Station Belfast, Great Victoria Street Railway Station Belfast, Laganside Buscentre Belfast and Lisburn Railway Station. Silver station winners: Bangor Bus & Rail Centre, Greenisland Railway Station, Dungannon Ulsterbus Station, Yorkgate Train Station, Newcastle Bus Station, Larne Bus Station, Lurgan Train Station, Newry Train Station, Lisburn Buscentre, Ballymoney Train Station, Limavady Bus Station and Europa Buscentre. Pictured: Staff at Coleraine Bus & Rail Centre celebrated their Platinum Award (l-r) Colin McIlfatrick, Chris Allen, TIDY Northern Ireland, Sheena McFall, Andy Bate, Environmental Officer, and David Simpson.

9 09 Northern Ireland VQ Learner of the Year Business in the Community Awards Translink NIRailways Fleet Technician Clare Jameson has been awarded the Northern Ireland Vocational Qualification (VQ) Learner of the Year Award. Presented by the Employment and Learning Minister, Dr. Stephen Farry this award recognises and celebrates the value of vocational qualifications and achievement. David Carson, Technical Engineer, said: This award recognises Clare s hard work and commitment to her job. Vocational qualifications are essential to our business as they ensure that our employees are equipped with the right skills and knowledge to do their job to the best of their ability. Pictured: (l-r) David Carson, Technical Engineer, Clare Jameson, NIRailways Fleet Technician, with local broadcaster Lynda Bryans. Translink has received a Business in the Community Big Tick Award for the company s go-eco initiative. This is a National Award for Excellence which recognises Translink s commitment to taking a sustained approach to corporate responsibility by integrating it into the organisation s overall business strategy. Pictured: Catherine Mason, Group Chief Executive, with Paul Rooney, Chair of Business in the Community Northern Ireland. Irish Transport Heritage Bus & Coach Rally This year s Bus & Coach Rally took place at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum. The Metro Cup is donated by Translink and awarded to the best urban or inter-urban low floor vehicle placed highest in the Concours d Elegance section of the Rally. The winner was Entrant Nr 42 Ulsterbus Coleraine Volvo B7TL/Alexander 2309 (IEZ 4309) with Ulsterbus Coleraine Driver Lisa Wallace. The Irish Transport Heritage Ltd. was founded in 1969 to cater for those interested in the study of passenger transport, mainly road services, and to provide a medium for the exchange and recording of news, including meetings to discuss issues facing the passenger transport industry and the operation of buses and coaches throughout Ireland. Pictured: (l-r) Ulsterbus Coleraine Drivers Mairead Campbell and Lisa Wallace with the Metro Cup.

10 10 News New Chair appointed John Trethowan, Chair of NITHC Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy has announced the appointment of John Trethowan as Chair of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHC). Following an open public competition, Mr Trethowan has been appointed for a four year period, effective from 1 July The Minister said: John Trethowan, who has previously served on the Board as a non-executive director, has a wide range of valuable experience which should equip him well for his new role as Chair of NITHC. I am confident that the appointment of Mr Trethowan ensures that NITHC continues to have a strong and representative Board. I expect Mr Trethowan to provide the strategic direction to the Board necessary to encourage continued growth in the provision of an effective public transport service. The Minister also expressed his thanks to the outgoing chair, Veronica Palmer and said: I also want to pay tribute to the outgoing Chair Veronica Palmer and thank her for the strong leadership and direction she has given to the Board, during her six year tenure. Mrs Palmer steered NITHC through a period of change and made a significant contribution to the growth of public transport in Northern Ireland. John Trethowan retired from an executive position in banking in 2007 having worked in Dublin from 1998 to 2007; he has had a long career in banking both north and south of the border. He is a past President of the Institute of Bankers in Ireland, and was an Executive Director of National Irish Bank (NIB), and Northern Bank. He chaired the NIB s Pension Scheme, and is a former Executive Director of Nautilus Insurance (Europe). Mr Trethowan has an MBA from the University of Ulster, and attended Belfast Common Purpose, which he considers enlightened him to the importance of the voluntary sector and provided his motivation to become involved with community projects. Career Highlights April 2007 joined the board of the South Eastern Health and Social Services Care Trust as part of the reform of public services in Northern Ireland. July 2008 joined the board of NITHC. For both of these organisations, Mr Trethowan has served as a member of their board audit committees and the remuneration committees. December 2009 appointed State Credit Reviewer, under the NAMA legislation, by the Minister of Finance in Ireland. July 2011 appointed to the Small Business Advisory Group to provide policy suggestions to the Minister for Small Business to strengthen the small business community into the future in the Republic. 1 July 2011 John Trethowan appointed Chair of NITHC. Mr Trethowan also serves on the board of Business in the Community Ireland, and is a member of the judging panel for the Irish President s awards for Corporate Social Responsibility. He was a member of the Taoiseach s special task force on Active Citizenship, and currently chairs two projects by which Business in the Community Ireland deliver prisoner rehabilitation services for the Irish Prison Service.

11 This time its personal 11 Andrew Muir, Local Athletics Road Runner Andrew Muir, Assistant Ticketing Systems Manager at Milewater Road, is involved in athletics, specifically road running. What sports are you involved in? My main focus is road running for a range of distances from 5km up to Half Marathon. I also enjoy cycling for pleasure and serve as a Sustrans Cycle Path Ranger. What does road running involve? Apart from spending money on shoes, gear and trips to the physiotherapist it involves regular training runs along pavements, paths and around parks plus competitive races across Ireland. I look forward to the competitive races with money raised often given to charity, a real sense of community and a great range of food after the race, and if I am lucky a few beers! Have you always been sporty? Until recent years I hated sport. At school sport usually involved soccer and I failed miserably. I therefore surprised myself after completing the Between the Bridges 10k run along the newly upgraded Westlink in Belfast in March My eccentric interest in all matters related to Transport triggered an interest in running which I have pursued with passion. I was initially hesitant to get involved in running because I didn t want to come last nor make a fool of myself. If you are considering running try a short run and slowly build up your distances and confidence; look-up to find your local Athletics Club. Consider purchasing a decent pair of running shoes, with the right tools and self determination you can achieve anything. Do you belong to a club? A few weeks after my Westlink run I joined North Down Athletics Club and have never looked back. The club provides many training opportunities plus experienced mentors and has helped me drastically improve my running speed. It has also broadened my social circle with many friendships formed with fellow runners. What amount of training do you do? Training usually involves spending one or two nights per week with my club and I often run in the evenings or on a Saturday morning alone and aim to spend remaining evenings at the gym or out cycling. I always aim to fit in some exercise each day, not only to keep up and improve my fitness levels but, most importantly, as an opportunity to de-stress and clear my mind. A 5k run only takes about 20 min but I feel fantastic afterwards. How often do you race? I compete in races usually once a week. My partner regularly comes along as a spectator, providing some moral support whilst sometimes also acting as a marshal. Do you have a favourite race to take part in? My most favourite races have been Dunshaughlin 10k, Ards Half Marathon and Lisburn 10k. My preferred distance is 10km. I dislike running up mountains and ain t keen on Cross Country especially when loads of slippy mud is involved. What would you say has been your greatest running achievement so far? Completing Lisburn 10k in 39minutes 46 seconds. What aims do you have for the future? Bringing home a cup or trophy from a race for myself or my club, participating in a Triathlon and completing either the New York or Berlin Marathon. My most immediate aim is to complete the Dublin Half Marathon on 17 September in aid of East Africa and the Famine in Somalia. I m collecting sponsorship online at: andrewmuirni What interests do you have outside of athletics? My main interest which consumes most of my spare time is serving as a Councillor on North Down Borough Council. Apart from this I have a keen interest in Architecture and enjoy visiting new and old buildings. photo suppied by: Athletics Northern Ireland

12 12 Promotions Metro Smart Saturdays Special Event Travel Enterprise Summer Let s Take a Dublin Day *Bookings must be made at least 3 days (72hrs) in advance. Conditions apply Web day returns from Every Saturday during June a high-impact marketing campaign called Metro Smart Saturdays encouraged more people to travel by Metro and take advantage of the smart savings available. A special 1 fare was available on Saturdays after 9.30am with lots of eye-catching advertising across Belfast and throughout the Belfast Telegraph. A stand at Castle Court Shopping Centre every Saturday promoted Smartlink at special discounted prices. Street Teams in the City Centre offered passers-by the opportunity to take a break on a Metro Deck Chair at City Hall or take part in the 1 coin stunt activity. Drivers also helped by handing out Smartlink vouchers to passengers paying by cash. Lisburn 1 Campaign In order to stimulate patronage on Ulsterbus Town/City services a campaign ran in Lisburn to encourage travel on Ulsterbus City services. A 1 promotional cash fare was available throughout June to encourage people to try the service. Our drivers also helped promote the service by selling Smartcards at special discounted prices. The campaign was advertised extensively in the Lisburn area through outdoor advertising, window vinyls on buses, promotional street teams and leafleting during the Lisburn Half Marathon. Hundreds of Kings of Leon fans lined up for the special return coach service direct to the event on 28th May, with eleven coach loads departing from Europa Buscentre. Translink is working closely with concert promoters and North Down Borough Council to provide rail and bus services to the Tennents Vital event in Bangor on 23 & 24 August. The main headline acts are Eminem and The Script and around 35,000 fans are expected on both days. Translink NI Railways will once again operate special rail shuttle and coach services to and from the concert. Online sales for Translink tickets went on sale at the same time as concert ticket sales on 3 June. Ticketmaster and Tennents Vital both provided links to the Translink website from their web pages. Smart Winning Numbers During June a new Smartlink competition ran in the Belfast Telegraph. Three winning Smartlink numbers were selected each day Monday-Saturday from all Metro Smartlink journeys made during June, with three lucky winners every day in with a chance to win 100 cash. With lots of advertising throughout the Belfast Telegraph passengers were encouraged to get a Smartlink card and check their card number throughout the promotion. An advertising campaign was launched at the beginning of July to promote Enterprise web fares, day-trips and rail breaks to Dublin; this included press, outdoor, streetliners, radio, web and posters. An additional offer for Enterprise web fare customers was available during July and August. A voucher was mailed along with their web voucher entitling them to a day rate of 4 at the NITHC car-park at Central Station or 1 off their Value Cabs taxi fare to and from Central Station on their day of travel. Translink Summer Happy Days The Translink Summer Tourism Campaign launched on 1 July and will run until 31August. The advertising campaign will promote special offers on bus and rail services. The Happy Days creative returns for 2011 and uses bright colourful photographic images of people signifying summer. The campaign ran province-wide including press, outdoor, adshel, supersides, web, radio, leaflets and posters.

13 News in Brief 13 See what you re missing New Trains Two update Newtownabbey Bus Depot goes eco Translink s four Rambler Services (Causeway, Sperrin, Mourne and Kilkeel) have been running throughout the summer months enabling both local people and visitors to enjoy some of the most varied and interesting scenery in Northern Ireland. By leaving the car at home passengers can sit back, relax and really soak up their surroundings. The services are also a cost effective way to travel with a range of special tickets available. Passengers can pick up a copy of the Translink Rambler Guide from local Ulsterbus stations which features key attractions, fares and timetable information and route maps to help plan their journey. Pictured: (l-r) Enjoying a Mourne ramble are Ken Gordon from Downpatrick, Marie Devlin from Glengormley with Ellen Watson, Service Delivery Manager Gary Mawhinney, and Karen and Alistair McComb from Ahoghill. The testing and commissioning of the new Class 4000 trains is progressing well. To date, three of the 20 brand new Translink NI Railways trains have been delivered and the first train is due to enter passenger service on the Larne Line this autumn. All 20 new trains are due to be in service during The first three trains have started to operate during the day alongside our current fleet simulating passenger services. As part of this final stage of commissioning they will also have to complete 2000 miles of fault free running with all aspects of safety, performance and comfort carefully monitored. A driver training programme has begun which uses our newly upgraded simulator at the Rail Operations Training Academy at Adelaide. Pictured: (l-r) Local representatives got a preview of the new Class 4000 train: James Erwin, New Trains Two Programme Manager, Ian Campbell, Head of Rail Operations, Geraldine McGahey, Larne Borough Council, Roy Beggs MLA, Alderman William Webb, Mayor of Newtownabbey Borough Council, Stewart Dickson MLA and Alderman Jim Brown, Carrickfergus Borough Council. Translink s Go Eco campaign continues and one depot which has been taking the lead in energy efficiency is Newtownabbey Bus Depot. Led by Robert Thompson, Energy Warden and Gerry Mullan, Service Delivery Manager an Energy Action Team was formed and a number of actions implemented. As a result carbon emissions at the depot dropped by 40 tonnes (21%) in the 12 month period April 2010 March This is the equivalent to taking 10 cars of the road for one year and has resulted in an energy cost saving of 4,600. This achievement has been the result of implementing good housekeeping initiatives, which have included: Ensuring garage roller doors are not left open when heating is required. Utilising natural light in offices, canteens etc. by switching lights off when it s bright. Identifying and repairing all compressed air leaks through an ongoing program. Ensuring lights and equipment are switched off in unoccupied areas. By taking easy energy efficient actions, we can together make a real difference towards reducing our carbon footprint, help to save money as well as the planet our Go Eco campaign simply makes sense and we would encourage everyone to get on board and take action now!

14 14 Family Life Graduations BSc (Hons) in Business Studies Pictured: (l-r) Congratulations to Ciaran McHugh, Assistant Service Delivery Manager at Armagh, and Barry Love, Drivers Assessor at R.O.T.A. Adelaide, who have completed a BSc (Hons) in Business Studies from University of Ulster Jordanstown. Pictured: Karen McLaughlin Conductor at R.O.T.A. Adelaide, also completed a BSc (Hons) in Business Studies from University of Ulster Jordanstown. BSc (Hons) in Railway Operations Management Pictured: (l-r) Congratulations to Urban Magee, Traffic Inspector, Billy Windrum, Chief Traffic Controller, and Jeremy Kennedy, Traffic Controller who completed a BSc (Hons) in Railway Operations Management from Glasgow Caledonian University, run through the IRO Institution of Railway Operators. New Births Robert Alexander McKeown Congratulations to Robbie McKeown, Enterprise Train Manager at Central Station, and his wife Jenny on the birth of their baby boy Robert Alexander; born 17 April 2011 weighing 7lbs 6oz. Nathan Dallas Congratulations to Arlene and David Dallas on the birth of their baby boy Nathan; born on the 24 March 2011 weighing 7lbs. Arlene is an Electrician at the Falls Depot and David is a Trimmer, also at Falls. Competitions Translink Challenge Shield Pictured: Translink s Metro and Ulsterbus staff held a 5-a-side football event at the Eddie Irvine Sports facility as a teambuilding day, with two teams from each depot taking part. Driver Andrew Lawless got a photo of the winning team on the day; the Newtownabbey Engineers: Back row: Paul Smith, George Chambers, Robert McDonald and Stephen Sawyer. Front row: Wesley Steele, Keith Conway and Jim Maxwell. The runners up were Great Victoria Street Team B.

15 Charity Years of Service Raymond Holmes Catherine Mason, Group Chief Executive, presented Raymond Holmes, Depot Engineer at Ballymena Bus Engineering, with his 40 years service badge. Translink Gaels score for charities Translink has been invited to participate in the celebrations to mark the 125th anniversary of Gaelic Games within Irish Transport. A full day of celebrations will take place at Croke Park, Dublin on Saturday 8 October including a football match between Translink and our colleagues in CIÉ. Proceeds from the event will be donated to Special Olympics Ireland and the Alzheimer s Society of Ireland. Tickets ( 10 adult / 5 child) and further information for the event will be available on the GAA website The Translink GAA team Translink Gaels is made up of employees from across the company. They regularly participate in matches and are proactive in raising funds for local causes, for the past few years they have raised money for Cancer Care. Translink will be providing travel to and from the match for anyone wishing to attend; details will be published in due course. Pictured: (l-r) Translink Gaels Team Captain, Omagh Bus Driver, Gareth Starrs and CIÉ Team Captain Stephen Hackett, were at Croke Park for the formal launch of the celebrations to mark the 125th anniversary of Gaelic Games within Irish Transport. Billy T Charity Memorial RNLI Raft Race Sean Porter Catherine Mason, Group Chief Executive, presented Sean Porter, Clerical Officer at Ulsterbus Foyle, with his 40 years service badge. Basil Quigley Catherine Mason, Group Chief Executive, presented Basil Quigley, Driver at Limavady Depot, with his 40 years service badge. This year s event was the most successful to date, raising an amazing 14,676 for charity. Alan McKay, Inspector Short Strand, not only won the individual golf prize but was also was a member of the winning team, joined by Ed Dinnen, Mark Montgomery, and John Kelly. The sponsored walk was also well attended and was followed by a very welcome barbeque. This year s money is split equally between Foyle Hospice and Diabetes UK (NI) Translink s charity partner. Thanks to all who took part in, or contributed to, this very enjoyable event. Pictured: (l-r) Inspectors Mark Montgomery and Alan McKay. The Infrastructure SQE Team entered the Portrush Raft Race as NI SAILWAYS for the fourth year running; raising over 2000 for RNLI. Catherine Mason, Group Chief Executive, (front) with the SQE Team: Jana Rabikova, Simon Webber, Stevie Lavery, Paul Stevenson, Keith Pollock and Huw Bates.

16 Ramada Encore Hotel Belfast The Ramada Encore Hotel Belfast is located in the fashionable Cathedral Quarter area of Belfast City Centre. Only 5 minutes from the Odyssey Arena, Waterfront Hall and Victoria Square Shopping Centre, you and a guest can enjoy an overnight stay close to many local attractions and Belfast s great shopping and nightlife. With 165 bedrooms all bright, contemporary and stylish in design with modern ensuite wet rooms with power showers, Ramada Encore Hotel Belfast City Centre is ideal accommodation in Belfast for both short city breaks and business travel. The hotel facilities include the Hub cocktail and coffee bar and the SQ Bar & Grill restaurant. Ramada Encore Belfast Hotel also offers complimentary WIFI for all guests (up to 30 mins). Courtesy of the Ramada Encore Hotel Belfast, Expresslines has one complimentary overnight stay for two including breakfast to give away! For a chance to win this fantastic prize simply answer the question below and send your completed entry to: Expresslines ENCORE Competition, Marketing Production, Central Station, Belfast BT1 3PB or your entry to elaine.mccurdy@translink.co.uk Question: How many bedrooms does the Ramada Encore Hotel Belfast have? Answer Name Staff Number Address Telephone Closing date: Monday 5 September 2011 Terms & Conditions: The prize includes one night accommodation including breakfast for two people sharing (double/twin room) at the Ramada Encore Hotel Belfast City Centre. The prize is valid until 30 November It can be redeemed midweek or weekend subject to availability and excludes special events. No cash alternative. Over 18 s only. Don t worry if you re not a winner, Ramada Encore offer a Best Rate Guaranteed when you book direct via their website www. encorebelfast.co.uk or phone If you find a lower publicly available rate on another website, they ll match the lower rate and also give you an additional 10% discount.