Success of Transport for London’s real time bus information service

Since its launch a year ago, the UK’s Transport for London (TfL) Countdown real time bus information service has dealt with more than 620 million requests and, according to TfL, the service has made millions of journeys easier, dealing with an average of 1.6 million requests via the internet and smart phones and 36,000 requests via text each day. TfL has also recently completed the installation of 2,500 new and improved bus information roadside signs across the capital. These provide clearer amber text on
October 18, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Since its launch a year ago, the UK’s 1466 Transport for London (TfL) Countdown real time bus information service has dealt with more than 620 million requests and, according to TfL, the service has made millions of journeys easier, dealing with an average of 1.6 million requests via the internet and smart phones and 36,000 requests via text each day.  

TfL has also recently completed the installation of 2,500 new and improved bus information roadside signs across the capital.  These provide clearer amber text on black background, of particular help to visually impaired passengers. The signs are now also able to display important service information so passengers are kept fully informed at all times. In addition, digital signs are currently in development that will display live bus arrival information on screens in foyers and receptions at rail stations, hospitals and hotels.

Leon Daniels, TfL's Managing Director for Surface Transport, said: “Countdown is the product of many years of work and has developed into the largest and most advanced system of its kind in the UK.  The service has revolutionised the way people make the most of bus services in London. People are now able to have that extra bowl of cereal in the morning or finish their cup of coffee after a meal out knowing they can time their arrival at the bus stop to perfection.”

As part of TfL's ongoing commitment to publish its data, it started providing real time bus arrival information free of charge to third parties in May. Many are utilising this data to produce apps and there are now more than 30 currently available which help to make journeys easier for passengers.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • London needs just one road user charge, says report
    July 8, 2019
    London’s patchwork of road charging schemes should be replaced by a single, distance-based user charge, according to new research. Apart from anything else, it would be much fairer… The UK capital’s multiple road charging schemes require a radical overhaul, according to a new report by the Centre for London thinktank. The suggested solution is to replace existing levies on drivers with a single, distance-based user charge which would more fairly reflect how much, and at what time, people are using London
    Read More
  • Bus service data, better journey planning, better information
    January 30, 2012
    Chris Gibbard and Paul Drummond of Transport Direct on developments in Great Britain in the electronic transfer of bus service data. Great Britain has a dynamic bus market which permits a bus operator to initiate or alter commercial routes by giving a minimum of eight weeks' notice to a registrar (the Traffic Commissioner). A Local Transport Authority (LTA) neither specifies nor determines such services. In addition to commercial bus routes, an LTA will tender and contract for the operation of those additio
    Read More
  • TfL upgrades London’s speed and red light safety cameras
    September 18, 2014
    Transport for London (TfL) has begun work on a programme to overhaul the capital’s road safety camera network; replacing hundreds of old wet film cameras with modern and more efficient digital safety cameras in order to help further reduce casualties on London’s roads. According to TfL, safety cameras have proved successful in reducing road casualties in recent years. At locations where safety cameras operate in the capital, research shows that the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) fell
    Read More
  • Siemens to implement average speed enforcement in London
    September 30, 2014
    Transport for London (TfL) has awarded Siemens a contract to replace existing speed cameras on selected routes in the capital with new digital average speed enforcement systems. The contract, part of TfL’s London Safety Camera Replacement Project, includes the deployment of more than 100 automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras over the next 24 months, covering four main routes across London, which Siemens says represents the largest roll-out of its SafeZone average speed enforcement solution in
    Read More

Highlighted Content