Accessible information regulations - October

[G42]

Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information ) Regulations 2023

Does anyone know how this will be implemented?

Lots of fleets straddle the October 2019 line in the sand meaning some vehicles must have it fitted whereas others have another two years grace.

In London the drivers can control messages for diversions/short turns? It would be handy to have this elsewhere.

I’ve seen/heard stop announcements on First Bus and Stagecoach but they don’t seem to be as widely operational as they were when said vehicles were new. In Glasgow for example, very few services run with announcements or display screens showing the route.

 

[Cesarcollie]

Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information ) Regulations 2023

Does anyone know how this will be implemented?

Lots of fleets straddle the October 2019 line in the sand meaning some vehicles must have it fitted whereas others have another two years grace.

In London the drivers can control messages for diversions/short turns? It would be handy to have this elsewhere.

I’ve seen/heard stop announcements on First Bus and Stagecoach but they don’t seem to be as widely operational as they were when said vehicles were new. In Glasgow for example, very few services run with announcements or display screens showing the route.

There are three phases. 2019 and newer by next month, 2014-2019 by October 25, and older than 2014 by October 26. So ironically by October 26 inevitably some buses will have to be fitted, only to be scrapped within a few months/years.

 

[PeterC]

I wonder how this would work in Bucks as my local Red Rose drivers just seem to make up the route as they go along.

 

[LAIRA]

don't think it will be happening at Plymouth Citybus they have 92 buses to be fitted by 1st November and there is no sign of any of them yet.

 

[computerSaysNo]

I'm on a Scottish Citylink coach on the 900 route just now and the upstairs front interior dot matrix is showing a static display of the route number and destination, where previously it has been blank or always just shown "Scottish Citylink". I think these vehicles were new in 2019 so it looks like they're adding the audio-visual passenger information incrementally.

 

[py_megapixel]

I'm really hoping this gives some operators a well-needed "kick up the proverbial". Every bus in London has had this equipment installed and (for the most part) working well for well over a decade this point, a situation which is mirrored in many other major developed cities in the world. The UK outside London is an outlier in just how poor onboard information is, and operators have been allowed to save money by keeping it this way for far too long.

It's by no means all operators - I'm aware of a good few that have systems installed and working on most/all of their buses - but it's most.

A special mention some subsidiaries of the big groups, who seem to make a habit of running buses around where they've actually gone to the expense of fitting passenger information systems, only to leave them switched off/not working/set for completely the wrong location! I understand that sometimes technical issues occur, but doing it all the time, really needs to (and is going to) be clamped down on IMO. It's just lazy.

 

[markymark2000]

A special mention some subsidiaries of the big groups, who seem to make a habit of running buses around where they've actually gone to the expense of fitting passenger information systems, only to leave them switched off/not working/set for completely the wrong location! I understand that sometimes technical issues occur, but doing it all the time, really needs to (and is going to) be clamped down on IMO. It's just lazy.

Stagecoach Chester has full next stop screens and announcements on the Enviro200MMCs. 11 were meant for the Park and Ride, plus 1 spare which also did other others. Since they got these buses, the spare bus has never worked on routes other than the Park and Ride. Now the P&R requirement has been cut, there are 3 buses in local livery as P&R spares but also are in regular use in other areas. Again, these buses haven't been updated either. Really poor in my opinion. If it's fitted and working (on all of the buses, the displays and announcements work but only on the park and ride), it should work for all of your regular routes.

This said, as a general thing, I do disagree with the announcements as it seems that once fitted, companies abuse the speakers by playing endless drivel, it's as bad as trains sometimes. Stagecoach South Wales tell you every time the doors open to remember to tap off. It wouldn't be so bad but it does that even if it's on rail replacement though. In Wales, you get to listen to the announcements in English and Welsh. If your stops are too close together or stop names are too long, it's just endless announcement. Theres arguments for and against, sadly until companies can prove that they can be trusted and become more sensible with announcements, it's not something I can support sadly.

 

[Simon75]

I'm really hoping this gives some operators a well-needed "kick up the proverbial". Every bus in London has had this equipment installed and (for the most part) working well for well over a decade this point, a situation which is mirrored in many other major developed cities in the world. The UK outside London is an outlier in just how poor onboard information is, and operators have been allowed to save money by keeping it this way for far too long.

It's by no means all operators - I'm aware of a good few that have systems installed and working on most/all of their buses - but it's most.

A special mention some subsidiaries of the big groups, who seem to make a habit of running buses around where they've actually gone to the expense of fitting passenger information systems, only to leave them switched off/not working/set for completely the wrong location! I understand that sometimes technical issues occur, but doing it all the time, really needs to (and is going to) be clamped down on IMO. It's just lazy.

Arriva had them on Saphire branded buses, then ended up disconnecting them, when scrapping the brand

 

[Cesarcollie]

I'm really hoping this gives some operators a well-needed "kick up the proverbial". Every bus in London has had this equipment installed and (for the most part) working well for well over a decade this point, a situation which is mirrored in many other major developed cities in the world. The UK outside London is an outlier in just how poor onboard information is, and operators have been allowed to save money by keeping it this way for far too long.

It's by no means all operators - I'm aware of a good few that have systems installed and working on most/all of their buses - but it's most.

A special mention some subsidiaries of the big groups, who seem to make a habit of running buses around where they've actually gone to the expense of fitting passenger information systems, only to leave them switched off/not working/set for completely the wrong location! I understand that sometimes technical issues occur, but doing it all the time, really needs to (and is going to) be clamped down on IMO. It's just lazy.

Don’t forget in London these systems are paid for by the public purse (or taxpayers in other words!). Outside London (and now Manchester) they have to be funded by passengers (except for very small operators under 20 vehicles where grants are available). But there are also supply and fitment problems in the timescales.