Audio/visual "next stop" announcements on buses

[geoffk]

The October 1st deadline for the next round of on-board announcements has passed, requiring all buses introduced since 1st October 2014 to comply with the regulations - that's most buses with 15 (March 2015) and 64 (September 2014) registration plates* and later.

My observations of Stagecoach buses in Exeter this week suggests that few buses which entered service in the relevant time period are providing this service, most displaying a blank screen or just showing the date and time. I would think that operators have had ample time to equip their buses. It's not only people with a disability who benefit but also anyone travelling by bus in an unfamiliar area.

What's the experience of other Forum members?

* Note that the date for compliance is 1st October, whereas registration plates change on 1st September! That's Civil Servants for you, I suppose.

 

[alex397]

This is something which I think should have happened years ago. But I don’t blame operators for not being ready in time for the deadline - it’s surely a time consuming and expensive task.

In Stagecoach South East land, I’ve rarely used a bus where the next stop announcements work perfectly - either the screen is working and the sound isn’t, or vice versa. Or the sound is too quiet, the screen is glitchy and flashing, or the announcements just suddenly stop working. I’ve also seen some announcements that say the bus is terminating when it isn’t, or are going in the wrong direction on the route!
Hopefully these teething issues will be ironed out, as the systems I’ve seen in London or on the continent rarely seem to have any issues and seem to work very well.

Both Arriva and Stagecoach are using dot matrix. Personally I’d prefer the more modern screens as they are easier to read. Stagecoach does have a few of the screens on 4 ex-Manchester MMCs though.

 

[geoffk]

This one is much easier to read than dot matrix type.

 

[Dai Corner]

Is this just in England or throughout the UK?

Newport Transport (based in south Wales, but their operations extend over the border) have some 02/52 plate Tridents that aren't equipped. Their more modern vehicles are, of course, but drivers don't always set them up correctly.

 

[mattb7tl]

Here in West Yorkshire...

Arriva, shockingly, seems to be the best at having functional announcements. I have noticed quite the improvement from the company in general over the past few months.

First are on their fifth attempt at trying to get them to function. As it stands on my own service they work only in one direction and they have got the final destination and next stops mixed up. "372 to *insert next stop here* instead of the final destination. Soo close!! That is the wrong way around, sixth times a charm?

Go Ahead & Transdev don't even need to be mentioned because you can trust their quality.

 

[dgl]

The First Wessex '65 plate ex Bristol E400MMC's have now had the next stop announcements enabled, though the audio can be a but quiet.

 

[Leedsbusman]

Is this just in England or throughout the UK?

Newport Transport (based in south Wales, but their operations extend over the border) have some 02/52 plate Tridents that aren't equipped. Their more modern vehicles are, of course, but drivers don't always set them up correctly.

I don’t think they meet the ‘first registered after October 2014’ criterion.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Oct 2025 ==

It is reminiscent of the rush to fit SCRT kit to buses for clean air zones. The supply industry can’t cope with the demand for installations.
Some of those ahead of the game in installations are finding the need to modify as their older set ups aren’t compliant!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Oct 2025 ==

It is reminiscent of the rush to fit SCRT kit to buses for clean air zones. The supply industry can’t cope with the demand for installations.
Some of those ahead of the game in installations are finding the need to modify as their older set ups aren’t compliant!

 

[joieman]

Arriva took a delivery of 25 brand-new Wright Streetdeck Electroliners this spring. The audio announcements usually work, but it seems to be quite common for the visual displays to be blank.

As well as some 17-plate E200MMCs in Leicestershire having their announcement systems reactivated, some have been retrofitted with two-line LED displays instead, as was the 64-plate Wright Streetlite WF I rode on yesterday. Other types of bus I have yet to properly observe for this.

 

[Oscar M]

My local operator, First West of England, are okay when it comes to audio and visual announcements.

They have the usual next stop, "this bus terminates here" and "[route] to [destination]" announcements.

A small handful of stops have additional announcements advising passengers to alight there if they're going to a particular place nearby (or if they're changing buses).

There are also "please remember to tap off" reminders for tap on, tap off users as well as the occasional warning that revenue protection officers roam about and that you should have a valid ticket. There are also sometimes announcements to let you know about upcoming service changes. Funnily enough, all of these announcements are always set to play at particular sections of the route - they're not random.

I say they're okay rather than (say) excellent because you do sometimes get the odd bus that doesn't have the announcements (or only has visual announcements and not audio and vice versa).

 

[175mph]

In Hull, it's a very mixed bag.

With Stagecoach, on the older ones with retrofitted audio visuals, all they currently do is show the date and time and instruct you to remain seated until the bus stops if you press the buzzer, however the 19-plate and 73-plate E400MMCs have both the audio and visuals enabled and have additional announcements on selected stops for locations such as the university, but with odd one or two of the routes, it just displays a scrolling welcome aboard message.

With East Yorkshire buses, those that are equipped with audio visuals seem to announce the stops of all the routes I've seen them on, with additional announcements towards the end of some of the routes indicating if they'll serve the city centre loop or not.

 

[WibbleWobble]

i would think that operators have had ample time to equip their buses. It's not only people with a disability who benefit but also anyone travelling by bus in an unfamiliar area.

This is something which I think should have happened years ago. But I don’t blame operators for not being ready in time for the deadline - it’s surely a time consuming and expensive task.

The biggest issue is not down to the operators, retrofitting requires specialists to install the kit, usually from the manufacturers. That's where the backlog lies.

 

[geoffk]

The biggest issue is not down to the operators, retrofitting requires specialists to install the kit, usually from the manufacturers. That's where the backlog lies.

Retrofitting the screens (hardware), agreed. But many of the Stagecoach fleet here already have the screens, which often show date and time, so it's just the software that's needed.

 

[JKP]

I am surprised that new buses do not come complete with audio and visual screens. My small local operator took delivery of a couple of E200s in 2024 to run bus services, neither of which are fitted with either.

One issue I have noticed when out a couple of weeks ago was that on one route, where the bus was fitted with audio and a screen, passengers alighted at an unmarked stop on the basis it was safe to do so and we passed a relatively new marked stop (since Covid) which did not appear on the screen nor announced. I suppose my question is who is responsible to update the screen and announcements.

One issue in Edinburgh is that Lothian only show the next stop on the screen and the spoken announcement often comes when it is almost too late to ring the bell to notify the driver to stop. Some stops in Edinburgh are relatively close together.

 

[GusB]

One issue in Edinburgh is that Lothian only show the next stop on the screen and the spoken announcement often comes when it is almost too late to ring the bell to notify the driver to stop. Some stops in Edinburgh are relatively close together.

It's not just Edinburgh; I experienced this when I decided to take a trip on one of Stagecoach Bluebirds's new Yutong coaches earlier in the year - the spoken announcement didn't give nearly enough notice. I knew where I was going but I can imagine that someone with a disability, or a tourist who is unfamiliar with the area, could easily be caught out. I mentioned this to the driver when I alighted and he agreed with me.

 

[stadler]

Compliance of this new law is utterly appalling. So many operators have completely failed despite having over a year. Vehicles that first entered service after 01/10/2019 should have had announcements and screens over a year ago and yet many still do not.

The dates of the new law are as follows:

• Vehicles first used on or after 1 October 2019 must comply with the regulations from the 1 October 2024 at the latest.

• Vehicles first used between 1 October 2014 and 30 September 2019 must comply with the regulations from the 1 October 2025 at the latest.

• Vehicles first used between 1 January 1973 and 30 September 2014 must comply with these regulations from the 1 October 2026 at the latest.

• Vehicles first used on 31 December 1972 or earlier are exempt from the regulations and do not require automated announcements or screens to be fitted.

I know of at least twelve different bus operators who have vehicles newer than 01/10/2019 and these vehicles are still not complying (no announcements and no screens) over a year after the law was introduced. There must be dozens of others too that i have not noticed. Unfortunately a lot of small operators have just ignored this law.

Is anyone even enforcing this? Whose responsibility is it to enforce? Is it the DVLA or DVSA or VOSA or Traffic Commissioners or whatever they are called nowadays? If so then do they have any inspectors that are riding buses and making sure that operators are complying?

 

[jon0844]

Is there any enforcement? Who would do it? (I don't mean who should be doing it, but literally who will actually do it?).

The only time I queried why a bus didn't have screens or announce the next stop, with a friend who is visually impaired and has a guide dog, I was told, or more asked, whether I'd rather the bus didn't run because it was missing, or have it run without - and I think that's what a lot of people think.

Remember when there was, like, 10 years to get trains compliant for accessibility (toilets, screens, announcements etc) and even then the deadline wasn't met by some companies? Did heads roll? No, because the same excuses were used then, and even forum members argued it was crazy to ban trains running that weren't compliant - which sort of implies that people with certain needs aren't seen as important and match what the bus driver said.

The bus industry has had years to get this all up and working. Many operators managed to get it working years ago, presumably because they saw the importance and benefits (more people will travel if you have clear information as even those who can see and hear don't always know where they are so it makes travel a lot less stressful).

It isn't just next stop announcements that is important either. Having accurate information on where a bus is, including a way to show cancelled services, is something we still seem unable to do properly (especially the cancelled services bit, which usually comes from a social media feed that apologises for a cancelled bus long after the time has passed).

I have little to no faith in our local authority doing anything about my local buses. Even the new BYD electric buses don't show anything more than text that resembles a boot-up screen (showing IP address and GPS co-ordinates, and other diagnostics, but most notably NOT next stop information).

 

[stadler]

Is there any enforcement? Who would do it? (I don't mean who should be doing it, but literally who will actually do it?).

The only time I queried why a bus didn't have screens or announce the next stop, with a friend who is visually impaired and has a guide dog, I was told, or more asked, whether I'd rather the bus didn't run because it was missing, or have it run without - and I think that's what a lot of people think.

Remember when there was, like, 10 years to get trains compliant for accessibility (toilets, screens, announcements etc) and even then the deadline wasn't met by some companies? Did heads roll? No, because the same excuses were used then, and even forum members argued it was crazy to ban trains running that weren't compliant - which sort of implies that people with certain needs aren't seen as important and match what the bus driver said.

The bus industry has had years to get this all up and working. Many operators managed to get it working years ago, presumably because they saw the importance and benefits (more people will travel if you have clear information as even those who can see and hear don't always know where they are so it makes travel a lot less stressful).

It isn't just next stop announcements that is important either. Having accurate information on where a bus is, including a way to show cancelled services, is something we still seem unable to do properly (especially the cancelled services bit, which usually comes from a social media feed that apologises for a cancelled bus long after the time has passed).

I have little to no faith in our local authority doing anything about my local buses. Even the new BYD electric buses don't show anything more than text that resembles a boot-up screen (showing IP address and GPS co-ordinates, and other diagnostics, but most notably NOT next stop information).

Surely it would be possible for the Traffic Commissioners (or DVLA or DVSA or VOSA or whover it is) to employ some inspectors whose job is to ride around on different operators checking that they have complied. I am sure i heard that they already have inspectors to check that services are running correctly. Often when there is a Public Inquiry there will be information about how inspectors noted that journeys failed to operate. So surely they could either get these inspectors to do it or employ additional inspectors to ride buses and check. It would be a very easy thing to check. So many operators are not going to care or bother to get the screens and announcements working if there is zero enforcement.

 

[M60lad]

Bee Network/Stagecoach Manchester have had some of their older MMC400s fitted with next stop announcements which are currently not working on most vehicles at the moment, I think there seems to be a problem with it as its a Mobitech system compared to the usual Hanover System which Stagecoach have been using for many years, as a result of the new system being fitted most buses that have had it fitted are running round with service number and ultimate destination on the front now without any via points.

Also I might be wrong but it seems some drivers are not used to the system yet and are struggling when changing destinations/service numbers on it as I've seen recently and are having to ring depot to get instructions on how to get correct route/destination up.

 

[Man of Kent]

Unfortunately a lot of small operators have just ignored this law.

If you speak to a number of them, you will find that they have not been able to get a supplier for the equipment. Grants were made available to assist smaller operators (fewer than 25 buses) but the supply side seems to have been overwhelmed, no doubt giving priority to the bigger groups.

It is also clear that retrofitting is a lot more problematic than having the equipment installed from new. Colleagues are discovering that the wiring in 'identical' buses is anything but, adding to the time and complication of getting the various components installed, never mind actually working.

 

[Observer]

As said before the issue lies with the suppliers. The law is therefore unenforceable for the time being as way too many operators cannot get this sorted at present.

If you want a money maker, feel free to become a next stop announcement system supplier! Surprised that the usual ticket machine manufacturers didn't look into this.

And yes as said in the above post, wiring these things in and getting them to use existing destination equipment is often a headache with many issues being caused.

 

[Citistar]

The operators locally that i work with have found that Hanover simply aren't interested in supplying small fleets with Next Stop kit. McKenna Bros are better at being able to supply the Mobitec kit, but the controller is insanely complicated. Even as somebody who has worked with Mobitec kit for twenty years, it doesn't look like any real world usability testing has been carried out on it.

 

[py_megapixel]

My observations of Stagecoach buses in Exeter this week suggests that few buses which entered service in the relevant time period are providing this service, most displaying a blank screen or just showing the date and time. I would think that operators have had ample time to equip their buses. It's not only people with a disability who benefit but also anyone travelling by bus in an unfamiliar area.

What's the experience of other Forum members?

My experience (in South Yorkshire) is the same. It's embarrassing really.

I have some sympathy for operators who are actually struggling to source the equipment, but equally, I would argue those operators that are only even thinking about fitting it in the last few years have been far behind the curve and are now learning the consequences of that.

What there is no excuse for is the position the vast majority of buses I have seen recently, which is the equipment being fitted but not set up properly.

Plenty of buses have software for the wrong regional division of First Group, including some that have recently been transferred in, but also many that have worked in South Yorkshire for their entire lives. On one of the busiest Stagecoach routes the buses have the correct software but it only works eastbound, because several weeks ago they changed the western terminus of most services and didn't bother update the system to handle it.

All of this is illegal, but nobody seems to take any sort of enforcement action. What is the point of having the rules at all, if operators seem to know they can break them with impunity?

 

[sharpley]

The new 74 / 25 plate electric Yutongs working the Stagecoach 148 Coventry - Nuneaton - Leicester route seem to have parts of an announcement cut short occasionally. For example an announcement that should say something like "This is service 148 to Leicester" comes out as "This is se 14 Lei"

 

[JD2168]

My experience (in South Yorkshire) is the same. It's embarrassing really.

I have some sympathy for operators who are actually struggling to source the equipment, but equally, I would argue those operators that are only even thinking about fitting it in the last few years have been far behind the curve and are now learning the consequences of that.

What there is no excuse for is the position the vast majority of buses I have seen recently, which is the equipment being fitted but not set up properly.

Plenty of buses have software for the wrong regional division of First Group, including some that have recently been transferred in, but also many that have worked in South Yorkshire for their entire lives. On one of the busiest Stagecoach routes the buses have the correct software but it only works eastbound, because several weeks ago they changed the western terminus of most services and didn't bother update the system to handle it.

All of this is illegal, but nobody seems to take any sort of enforcement action. What is the point of having the rules at all, if operators seem to know they can break them with impunity?

The First ones I see generally just show West of England version 3.1 scrolling on the retrofitted screens.

I have only been on odd ones that partially work, most Stagecoach Yorkshire ones don’t work apart from the Enviro 400 MMC’s & the EV’s. Others tend to just have the screen showing stop requested with a voice telling people to remain seated which is largely ignored. I went on a YX69 E200 MMC ZNO Friday which had neither, just the clock above the CCTV camera

 

[jon0844]

As said before the issue lies with the suppliers. The law is therefore unenforceable for the time being as way too many operators cannot get this sorted at present.

The buses I'm on have the displays installed, but they're just not used. Sometimes they are, but it's rare, and in some cases the big LCD displays are flickering and appear broken - even though they're quite new.

I am not sure how this makes the law unenforceable though?

The fact that in all likelihood, it won't be enforced, will be exactly why these systems won't be fitted or working on lots of buses - and everyone will just be told to be happy that the bus is at least running. Would they rather have the bus cancelled because it is not compliant?

You can then extend this to whether a bus runs with a broken wheelchair ramp, 'because surely it's better to run the bus for the majority?'.

 

[Vexed]

Everything in this thread is night and day compared to Bluestar and Unilink in Southampton, that have have next stop announcements and screens fitted to all busses for years and they are usually working. However as they are all older they aren't technically up to standard - they don't announce the service number and destination each stop.

 

[py_megapixel]

The First ones I see generally just show West of England version 3.1 scrolling on the retrofitted screens.

Until recently they were showing West of England v3.1 - some have now started showing West of England v3.5
So they've apparently updated the wrong software to a newer version of still the wrong software.
The mind boggles at the incompetence!

I have only been on odd ones that partially work, most Stagecoach Yorkshire ones don’t work apart from the Enviro 400 MMC’s & the EV’s

I was referring to the E400 MMCs above - on the 52 the system only works eastbound because, a month after the route change, it hasn't been programmed to cope with a 52 terminating at Heavygate Avenue. So it just sits showing "Welcome on board the to" and doesn't announce anything.

There's also at least one stop I'm aware of that it still announces despite it being subject to a long-term closure (and eventual relocation).

You can then extend this to whether a bus runs with a broken wheelchair ramp, 'because surely it's better to run the bus for the majority?'.

It's better that the operators who don't comply with regulations are heavily fined - to force them to improve, or if necessary, to the point that they disappear, so that the routes can be handed to someone who will do a proper job.

It simply should not be possible to run a bus company that flagrantly breaches accessibility regulations, and the fact that it is happening is a sign that the regulator needs to grow some teeth!

 

[Dai Corner]

Delete

 

[Man of Kent]

It's better that the operators who don't comply with regulations are heavily fined - to force them to improve, or if necessary, to the point that they disappear, so that the routes can be handed to someone who will do a proper job.

I fully understand the sentiment, but be careful of what you wish for. At the margin, there will be some operations that are no longer viable (with or without subsidy) because of the extra costs involved. These won't be handed over to someone else, they will just stop running and not be replaced.

The Regulatory Impact Assessment carried out on these regulations suggested a net annual cost to operators of £3.6m at 2019 prices - that is roughly the equivalent of the Derbyshire County Council public transport budget pre-BSIP.

 

[Dai Corner]

I fully understand the sentiment, but be careful of what you wish for. At the margin, there will be some operations that are no longer viable (with or without subsidy) because of the extra costs involved. These won't be handed over to someone else, they will just stop running and not be replaced.

The Regulatory Impact Assessment carried out on these regulations suggested a net annual cost to operators of £3.6m at 2019 prices - that is roughly the equivalent of the Derbyshire County Council public transport budget pre-BSIP.

According to https://www.gov.uk/government/stati.../annual-bus-statistics-year-ending-march-2023

In the year ending March 2023, there were 3.4 billion passenger journeys made by local bus in England,

If my arithmetic is correct that's about a tenth of a penny per passenger journey. Surely that's not make a marginal service unviable?