Saturday 6 March 2010

Traveline troubles




I have been looking at bus information in Leicester recently.   We are all encouraged to seek information from Traveline (either by phone or on line).   Why do I have to pay (phone charge) to find out what the bus companies might want to sell me - namely a bus ride.   The supermarkets spend millions to encourage me to buy - bus companies expect me to pay for the privilege of checking times etc.   Most traveline areas do not give full timetable information - although a few do.

Checking timetables on Traveline East Midlands reveals a catalogue of errors.   Buses arrive at a terminus but never leave!   Times are given TO some destinations but never FROM.  Chunks of some services are missing or have erroneous or misleading notes.  Most of these errors are carried through to the journey planner on Traveline, and thus imported without checks into Transport Defunct.  

Another problem is with the naming of stops.  Where is "Leicester turning circle"?   If you ask me nicely, I'll tell you - but you would never know from Traveline.  One estate in Hinckley does not have a Monday to Friday service during the day but does have buses in the evening and all day on Saturday.   Really?

As most bus operators and many local authorities now decline to provide their own enquiry services the occasional user is faced with Traveline - (based on my Leicester "survey" about 30% erroneous information) or just guessing.

Is this really the way to encourage bus users?

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