tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post1311643844066783130..comments2024-03-25T22:17:35.616+00:00Comments on Public Transport Experience: Thorny At Thornbury (1)fatbusblokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06833340546527596517noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-12815778929804827422018-02-09T14:33:09.475+00:002018-02-09T14:33:09.475+00:00Stop names in the NaPTAN database do follow a conv...Stop names in the NaPTAN database do follow a convention: in fact, in most cases, it cannot be the road the bus is travelling on (a main exception being if it qualified with a stop identifier letter). So the principal part of the name should be derived from side roads and other landmarks.<br />NaPTAN is generally vested in the transport authority, so the stop names will have been determined within a few miles of where the 120 runs. Sensible authorities collaborate with operators to determine appropriate names: some PTEs show a marked reluctance to use the name of a commercial business for a stop, but it does sound as though someone has mis-interpreted the information for use on the 120.<br />Nevertheless, it is the NaPTAN names that are used by Google maps (other mapping is available) and as this week's Transport Focus "Using the bus: what young people think" report shows, 46% of them use Google maps for bus information. Operator websites only score 37% - and paper timetables just 21%.<br />Man of Kentnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-43639801577375490732018-02-09T11:23:44.806+00:002018-02-09T11:23:44.806+00:00It seems to be a NAPTAN convention to use a 'r... It seems to be a NAPTAN convention to use a 'road the bus is on/intersecting road' model to name stops. This has been brought home to me now that Service 120 in Sheffield (which passes an earlier manifestation of fbb towers, I understand)has visual and spoken next stop announcements (the posh voice of Mr Cholmondeley-Warner who does them is already getting quite tiresome). This ignores district names, pubs and other commonly used landmarks and endlessly repeats Fulwood Rd, the main road which the bus follows for a couple of miles. It's presumably dome by someone using Google Maps 200 miles away (or even a computer) rather than anyone with local knowledge.Dennis Dratnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-1303547167896342932018-02-09T09:24:32.210+00:002018-02-09T09:24:32.210+00:00To anonymous above.
It may be "the custom&quo...To anonymous above.<br />It may be "the custom" to provide "the stop name", but very often that name is simply not helpful to a "new" user. The point about stops on the 77 in Thornbury is that, without a map, they are meaningless.<br />See tomorrow's blog for further thoughts.fatbusblokehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06833340546527596517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-14608444382446505112018-02-09T07:14:50.765+00:002018-02-09T07:14:50.765+00:00Yes, that's true. For instance, here in Cardif...Yes, that's true. For instance, here in Cardiff there are several stops on Heol Pontprennau each which the name of the nearest intersecting side road. I think the problem that FBB is pointing out is that, quite often, timetable information may make sense to the operators or regular users, but seems misleading or just confusing for potential casual passengers.<br /><br />I quite often go onto the Portuguese Railways website (I once lived in Portugal) and they are quite good as posting up things such as "due to engineering works on February 10th, trains 1234 and 5678 calling at Coimbra-B station will use the northbound platform instead of the usual southbound one" - or whatever. Clearly I don't know what printed info. is available locally but that sort of detail is, I think, helpful.Andrew Kleissnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-38369797209030289122018-02-09T06:50:24.812+00:002018-02-09T06:50:24.812+00:00I'm unsure what you mean about the stop name/r...I'm unsure what you mean about the stop name/road name, it is the custom to provide the stop name rather than the road name.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-40097972292226221122018-02-09T06:42:19.797+00:002018-02-09T06:42:19.797+00:00And on that stagecoach map extract Severn Beach ap...And on that stagecoach map extract Severn Beach appears to have morphed into Pilning (Pilning is actually roughly where that 628 label is)!Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13793451685912419925noreply@blogger.com