Dinkel – CATCHING UP WITH THE BUS 1985

Description

A 1985 National Consumer Council report links falling bus use to poor passenger information, which is often patchy, out of date or absent—especially at stops and stations—though local radio can help. Trials show that clear, widely distributed timetables, route maps and fare details increase patronage and revenue at low cost. The report urges operators to invest in marketing, cooperate on coordinated information, and provide comprehensive, dated timetables, maps, leaflets and on‑vehicle information. Stops and interchanges should have permanent labelled displays; telephone and radio enquiry services (including a central freephone) and new technologies should give up‑to‑date notices. County councils should require information provision in service contracts, and deregulation must not hinder consumer information. The review finds timetable materials inconsistent, often hard to use, and sometimes charged for; comprehension is low (≈39% of schoolchildren, 15% of adults). Recommended design practices include 12‑hour clocks with AM/PM headings, vertical time lists, larger type (≥10pt), strip maps, plain English and user testing. Examples of effective innovations are BUSMAN displays, talking stops and Paris SITU.