The North East Combined Authority strengthens partnerships and KPI measurement with CitySwift

The North East Combined Authority (NECA) brings together key local transport partners across the region to improve public transport outcomes for passengers in collaboration with the region’s three bus operators: Go-Ahead, Stagecoach, and Arriva. Heather Jones leads the Transport Customer Experience team, responsible for delivering on Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and Enhanced Partnership (EP). Her team of six works closely with the region’s transport delivery partners—Nexus (the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive), Durham County Council, and Northumberland County Council—to coordinate initiatives, track performance, and ensure accountability across the bus network.

A new Combined Authority team lacking the insight to measure network outcomes

Until recently, bus oversight in the North East was handled exclusively by delivery bodies. But the introduction of a regional BSIP (Bus Service Improvement Plan) and EP (Enhanced Partnership) created a new need: a dedicated Combined Authority team with responsibility for monitoring outcomes and reporting KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

Heather’s team quickly identified several pain points:

• Lack of granular, contextualised data: Data was only available via operators and it arrived in different formats (Excel, PDFs, or top-line figures), often without the granularity needed to understand problem areas.
• Inconsistent KPI reporting: Performance reporting was limited to six-month intervals, slowing responsiveness.
• No performance visibility: Transport delivery partners lacked a way to monitor and manage performance of service contracts effectively. There was no single source of truth for performance discussion between NECA and these delivery partners.‍
• Evidence gap for funding and initiatives: The team needed to demonstrate the impact of BSIP projects to both the DfT (Department for Transport) and local stakeholders.

Before Cityswift

• KPI reporting only every six months
• Data only available via operators; arrived in different formats (Excel, PDFs, top-line figures) with no extra context
• No visibility for delivery partners into performance of contracted services and lack of single source of truth between NECA and delivery partners
• Limited ability to evidence impact of BSIP initiatives to DfT or funding bodies
• Mayor’s office lacked timely data to respond to queries or engage with operators

After Cityswift

• Consistent, transparent KPI reporting across punctuality and reliability
• Granular, contextual insights available instantly in one intuitive platform
• Delivery partners (Nexus, Durham, Northumberland) can track performance directly, anytime, and use data to collaborate with operators and NECA
• Team can demonstrate BSIP outcomes and strengthen future funding cases
• Mayor now has independent, evidence-based insights for meetings and correspondence

“CitySwift has given us the clarity and consistency we need to understand and report on performance across the region. It’s enabling us to have more informed conversations, both with our delivery partners and with the Mayor’s office.”

— Heather Jones, Head of Transport Customer Experience at The North East Combined Authority

Strengthening accountability and data-backed evidence

• Data Sharing: CitySwift worked closely with NECA to support data sharing agreements with operators and onboard demand data from two of the three major providers.
• KPI Reporting: Heather’s team now reports on key measures: start-time punctuality, intermediate punctuality, reliability, and patronage, with confidence and consistency.
• Supporting the Mayor’s Office: Insights are shared with the mayor, with pre-approval from Arriva, Stagecoach and Go-Ahead, for meetings with the operators enabling informed conversations about bus performance demonstrating both political and operator trust in the platform. 
• Delivery Partner Monitoring: Nexus, Durham, and Northumberland use the platform to monitor contract delivery performance directly. 
• Public Queries: Data is used to respond accurately to passenger concerns about bus reliability in the area.
• Infrastructure Impact Analysis: NECA leveraged CitySwift to assess the impact of unplanned works and closures, finding disruption was less severe than anticipated.
  

CitySwift underpins KPI reporting, operator accountability, and informs mayoral conversations

CitySwift has transformed how NECA understands, and manages, bus performance:

• KPI reporting is faster, more accurate, and easier to share with stakeholders.
• The Mayor’s office can engage in evidence-based dialogue with operators.
• Delivery partners have visibility into performance for the first time.
• NECA is better positioned to demonstrate the effectiveness of BSIP projects and secure future funding.

Looking ahead: Capital investment management, monitoring patronage, and preparation for future changes

Heather’s team plans to expand their use of CitySwift to:

• Identify hotspots for capital investment.
• Monitor and measure the long-term impact of capital schemes.
• Measure patronage on subsidised services.