Farrow E – THE BUS AND RAIL INFORMATION SERVICES REVIEW 1993

Description

This research brief for GMPTE (August 1993) proposes a detailed review of Greater Manchester bus and local rail passenger information services. The PTE spends about £1m annually on information delivered via enquiry offices, telephone lines, timetables, station displays and bus-stop information. Following a 1992 review, the study’s objectives are to identify public requirements: awareness, usage, satisfaction, preferences, effects on patronage, reactions to charging, and comprehension of timetable formats. Methodology recommends 1,000 in-home interviews (age 16+), quota sampling by district, age, sex and transport use, with upweighting of train users and re-weighting against the 1990 Travel Diary for population representation. The questionnaire covers travel behavior, bus/rail information habits, and evaluation of timetables, maps, leaflets, telephone services, enquiry offices, posters and staff. Prior research (VIS pilot, 1991 Attitudes study, various timetable studies) shows high VIS acceptance but limited patronage impact, low awareness/use of PTE telephone services, and user preference for retaining offices and stop timetables. The brief also recommends qualitative work to identify decision points and explore new targeted information solutions.