Rural areas to get city-style
journey planning apps

Buses Minister Nusrat Ghani has announced £4 million funding for a digital platform to provide location information about bus services across the country, including in rural and remote areas.

The platform will enable app developers to use open data, including onboard GPS tracker information, to create new journey planning apps – hopefully providing the same level of service that’s available in major cities.

Such apps can tell passengers what time their next bus is due, where their bus currently is, and how much the fare will be. Some allow passengers to pay in advance for their travel.

It’s hoped that improved open data will overcome the barriers to people using buses because they don’t have timetable and fares information on their phones.

The government estimates that GPS trackers are already fitted to 97% of buses.

Buses Minister Nusrat Ghani says: “People expect to turn up to a bus stop knowing when their next service will arrive, particularly in rural areas.

“We’re investing in systems to make it easier for people to find out where their bus is, how much it will cost and how long it will take.

“This will save the time people waste waiting, give more people certainty over services and help increase passenger numbers.

“It could help revolutionise bus travel and move us one step closer to mobility-as-a-service and on-demand public transport systems.”

The bus open data regulations are being implemented as part of the Bus Services Act.