Challenge Host
Relevant Sectors
Government (GB national and regional) including the Department for Transport (DfT), the Treasury and the Office of Rail and Road; rail transportation and public transportation providers including operators and infrastructure managers; the healthcare sector, including the NHS as well as the health and mental care sectors; law enforcement and the British Transport Police; passengers and passenger focus groups; Trades Unions and the Trades Union Congress (TUC); The Confederation of British Industry (CBI); Universities involved in the epidemiological modelling of Coronavirus disease; the primary, secondary and tertiary education sectors.
What are you looking to achieve?
- Desired insight 1: enhanced data, intelligence and knowledge on the role that passenger rail transport will play as an enabler to kickstart economic growth – identifying areas of data paucity to improve.
- Desired insight 2: better-informed communication messages (local and national) on the benefits versus the risks from a return to normal rail services for rail passengers and staff – providing assurance and allaying concerns where possible.
- Desired insight 3: assess the effectiveness of the measures described in the Government guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19): Safer working principles and risk assessment for transport operators and organisations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-transport-guidance-for-operators) and recommend what areas to improve, such as a reduction in the 2m social distancing guidance as a key enabler to allow financially viable train operations.
- Desired insight 4: develop medium to longer-term scenarios for a “more sustainable and desirable vision of passenger rail travel” as part of a “new, post CV pandemic, normal.”
What will be the Value and Impact?
- As described in Section 3, above.
- Help policy makers and co-citizens make informed choices about the risks and benefits of a return to normal train timetables and increased patronage during the Coronavirus crisis.
- Use available data and previously untapped insights to better understand the fundamental determinants that influence rail passengers’ perceptions of risk during the various stages of alert levels five to one.