Abstract
Abstract In recent years significant developments in transport policy have taken place in the UK. Public transport is considered key to the policy objectives of achieving an integrated and sustainable transport system. Improvements to public transport operations alone will not necessarily persuade people to forego the use of their cars and make use of public transport modes. Intending travellers need to be informed of what is available. Substantial activity, promoted by Government, is now taking place in the UK concerning traveller information systems developments. However, such improvements and developments are taking place in a difficult environment. The UK has gone further than any other European country in transferring its public transport services into private management operating under market forces. This paper provides an outline of the current form of the public transport industry (with a focus on bus and rail services) looking at the complex responsibilities and relationships which this entails. It then addresses the main national initiatives for integrated traveller information provision before setting out the issues facing decision makers and service providers in the light of public needs and consumer understanding.
Highlights
In the last five years transport policy in the UK has seen significant developments with progression from a Green Paper in 1996 (DOT, 1996) to a White Paper in 1998 (DETR, 1998)
This paper offers a review of the UK public transport industry and information systems developments
Those involved in assessing the prospect of multi-modal information systems that combine highway-related information with public transport information need to acquire a greater understanding of organisational, operational, functional and regulatory issues across modes if their recommendations are to be widely acceptable to the main industry stakeholders
Summary
In the last five years transport policy in the UK has seen significant developments with progression from a Green Paper (seeking views on Government thinking) in 1996 (DOT, 1996) to a White Paper (setting out Government policy) in 1998 (the first for some twenty years) (DETR, 1998). Extra complexity has been added by the restructuring of local authorities over the last fifteen years, the changed objectives of the Highways Agency (an Executive Agency of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) responsible for the management of motorway and trunk roads) and the creation of new regional bodies in England and devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales Those involved in assessing the prospect of multi-modal information systems that combine highway-related information with public transport information need to acquire a greater understanding of organisational, operational, functional and regulatory issues across modes if their recommendations are to be widely acceptable to the main industry stakeholders. Extensive use has been made of organisations’ web resources to assist in the compilation of factual material, together with reference to some current industry journals
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