Transport for the North is to invest in technology from Trapeze Group UK and Ito World to transform the provision of public transport data and make planning journeys easier.
Trapeze Group UK is to provide Open Data Hub and Ito World is to provide Disruption Messaging Tool for DfN. Both initiatives are part of Phase Two of the £150 million, Department for Transport funded, Integrated and Smart Travel programme.
Phase two of the project will see that the same open source fares data and disruption information rail passengers receive will be provided for those who travel on buses and trams. The aim is to deliver an account-based ticketing solution with contactless capped payments on multi-mode, multi-operator public transport journeys across the North of England – much like the system in London.
The Open Data Hub will enable local authorities and operators in the North to collate and host transport data such as fares and disruption information, which will then be made available to suppliers of journey planning apps. The £260,000 hub is expected to go live in December 2019.
Ito World’s Disruptions Messaging Tool contract is worth £500,000. It will enable planned and unplanned disruption messages to be rapidly shared across social media and on-street displays. This will provide public transport customers up to date regarding their journeys.
“This is a further investment in the North’s public transport network and enables us to deliver improvements to the way passengers find out about and travel across the region. Wherever you are going, journeys on public transport should be simple and easy to plan for,” said Transport for the North chief executive Barry White. “By providing quality, open and reliable data, these ‘smart’ innovations will help make getting from A to B an improved and more seamless experience.”
Ito World chief executive Johan Herrlin added: “More and more we are looking to shared mobility services as economic and environmentally sound alternatives to private car travel. However, we need easily accessible, accurate data if we are going to successfully navigate public transport systems – whether in rural or urban locations. Access to open data sources are a crucial piece of the data puzzle.”
