Holmes – CENTROS NEW TECHNOLOGY PASSENGER INFORMATION SYSTEMS 1992

Description

Centro (West Midlands PTE) secured DRIVE-2 funding to develop and trial advanced public transport passenger information systems (BLUEPRINT) in 1993–94 as part of a 20-year strategy to improve public transport quality and modal shift. BLUEPRINT, within the QUARTET ATT programme, draws on international experience to deliver both off-line (static) and on-line (real-time) services via interactive terminals (enhanced enquiry office systems, self-service street terminals, in-home Minitel-style access and future handheld devices) and passive displays (count-down at stops, VMS for Park & Ride, potential in-car messages). Key features include automatic vehicle location on sample buses, a Public Transport Information Processing Centre to merge scheduled and real-time data, route-finding, maps, timetables, fares, service disruption alerts, accessibility info, reliability reports and traffic-signal bus priority. Major constraints arise from the deregulated bus network—operator instability, frequent changes and limited operational data sharing—requiring stand-alone, easily updatable, flexible software and operator cooperation. Tendering began late 1992 with system installation planned by end-1993 and evaluation in 1994.