Parry – PASSENGER INFORMATION IN A DEREGULATED ENVIRONMENT 1992

Description

David Parry analyses how bus deregulation since the Transport Act 1985 has multiplied operators and increased the frequency and complexity of service changes, creating major information problems for passengers, operators and local authorities. Passengers need comprehensive, accurate, accessible, understandable and low-cost information; operators prioritize flexibility, cost‑effective promotion and branding; local authorities seek to safeguard services, aid mobility‑disadvantaged groups, reduce congestion and promote economic development. Deregulation has weakened standardised publicity and increased reluctance by operators to publicise competitors’ services. Parry proposes a cooperative statutory framework led by local authorities/PTEs as “enablers”: area-level agreements requiring operators to co‑operate on comprehensive publicity strategies, common standards (timetables, stop names, maps), coordinated distribution, accessibility provisions, technology (real‑time displays, helplines) and rolling implementation/funding arrangements. He suggests cost recovery options (registration fees or fuel duty rebate). He concludes stakeholders share sufficient common interest to justify co‑operation and cites Merseytravel’s large promotion programme (e.g. 3.25m timetables, 5,900 stop flags) as an example.