STREAM B

Stuart Lowrie

Senior Professional Officer, The City of

Edinburgh Council

Bustracker – www.mybustracker.co.uk: Web Based RTPI Development and User

Statistics Analysis

Will there ever be a case for removing on-street displays?

Stuart Lowrie

Acting Public Transport Manager

The City of Edinburgh Council

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• Launched in 2004

• Funding from Scottish Executive Public Transport Fund

• Partnership between Council, Lothian Buses and Ineo

• Initially 85 on-street signs located on Quality Bus Corridors

• Designed for use by multiple operators

• Radio based system

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On-street signs

• Additional funding in following years

• Currently around 400 signs on-street

• Key stops, interchanges, supermarkets, hospitals, airport

• 2300 bus stops total

• Entire Lothian Buses fleet included

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On-street signs

• Demand for new signs still high

• Devised scoring rationale for new sign installations

• Rollout of talking signs, 20 locations

• Limited budget available

• Maintenance costs associated with signs is high

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Sign distribution

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Bus stop distribution

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Web / Mobile

• MyBusTracker.co.uk

• Launched in 2008

• Provides information for all stops served by Lothian Buses

• At stop QR codes

• Good value when compared to on-street signs

• WAP and mobile site

• Marketing on signs and posters / leaflets

• Recent server upgrade

• API and statistics now available

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iPhone / Android

• Developed by members of public

• Use phones GPS to locate nearest stop

• Very popular

• Web hits exceeding 500,000 per day

• Web hits and smartphone downloads increasing

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Website requests per month

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What next?

• Statistical analysis of website carried out by WYG

• Allow understanding of distribution of requests and user behaviour ▪ Which bus stops receive the most requests for web-based

information?

▪ What device is used to access the information?

▪ Should bus stops with on-street signs and high web-based requests have the signs removed?

▪ What bus stops receive the least requests for web-based information?

▪ How can web-based requests be made more popular at these bus stops?

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Most popular stops

Edinburgh University

Heriot-Watt University

Edinburgh Park

Edinburgh University

Interchange on route to hospital

City centre without sign

Popular residential without sign

Anomaly

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Application usage by stop

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Application usage by ward

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Using the information

• At stop advertising

• Approach businesses, hotels B&B’s, schools

• Identify stops that may have less need for signs and develop a strategy for removal

• Web stats and sign scoring matrix can be used as justification for why one particular sign is removed and not another

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Conclusions

• Website and smartphone use is becoming increasingly popular – set to continue, smartphone sales outsell all others

• On-street signs are still very popular – especially with elderly

• Currently no political desire to reduce sign numbers

• Popular tourist destination – signs are undoubtedly useful

• Cheaper alternatives being explored – possible web based solution with city centre wi-fi

• Actually signs are good value for money.

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Ian Mathie 1958 - 2013

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Thank you

Stuart Lowrie

Acting Public and Accessible Transport Manager

stuart.lowrie@edinburgh.gov.uk