Bartram – THE PRESENTATION OF INFORMATION ABOUT BUS SERVICES 1984

Description

This chapter links bus patronage to system ‘legibility’—the ease with which strangers can plan and complete journeys without help. Unlike the highly legible London Underground, many UK bus systems lack clear depot signage, informative stops, on-vehicle route displays and comprehensible timetables. Passengers need departure-point information to plan, in-transit information for decision points, and supportive redundancies (maps, repeated route details). Rising car ownership, fare increases and declining frequencies have reduced bus use, but inexpensive information interventions can be cost-effective: Ellson and Tebb’s leaflets raised patronage and revenue. Experimental work shows schematic, simplified maps (often color-coded) outperform sequential or alphabetical lists for complex multi-change trips, while road maps help locate precise addresses and landmarks. Timetable studies reveal widespread comprehension problems (notably with 24-hour time); a ‘reflected’ layout and other modifications improve speed and accuracy. Recommendations include area maps, better depot and stop labeling, clearer on-bus displays, strip-maps and automated stop announcements to create truly legible, more usable bus systems.