Recommendation 27

Technology could vastly improve bus passengers’ experience on England’s buses. For example, providing live updates on when a bus will next be stopping would reduce uncertainty and help passengers plan their journeys.65 We asked the Department what it is doing to 58 Qq 9-10, 12, 73 59 Transformative Transport Service Design Initiative (LBS0010) 60 Later Life Ambitions (LBS0022) 61 Qq 71-73, 75 62 Qq 70, 72, 75 63 Q 76 64 Q 70; Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] 65 Better Buses East Midlands (LBS0020) 16 facilitate the roll-out of real-time information for all bus passengers. The Department told us its bus open data system should already provide real-time information for every bus in the country, that it is working on compliance which is currently at 85%, and that it has work to do to ensure this is used by app providers.66 However, the Transport Select Committee reported that only 16% of respondents to a recent survey had live updates on bus arrivals displayed at their nearest stop.67 The Department said it is investing in low-cost innovative solutions, such as using QR codes at bus stops to provide links to real-time information quickly through mobile phones. These have been used in Portsmouth and Norfolk rather than installing screens at each stop.68