London Buses to phase out Countdown?

[Metrailway]

I have been told from a reliable source that TfL will be removing Countdown displays from all bus stops forcing passengers to pay via their smartphones to get information which is currently free.

I haven't been able to find any news sources but did find this thread on another forum which seems to back my source:
http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1417358802

Within the next 18 months Transport for London will no longer have Countdown displays at bus stops. Instead they have put bar-codes which passengers can scan with their SmartPhones to obtain bus arrival times. These will be sent by a Premium Rate text message. Another charge for something that was free. Not everyone has a SmartPhone, but TfL does not care. (Information from a Clear Channel technician who was placing a barcode sticker on my local bus stop)

(I hope mods don't mind me linking to another forum)

 

[Via Bank]

"Pay via their smartphones"

I was under the impression the information was already available free on smartphones through m.countdown.tfl.gov.uk. If that (and the public API) were withdrawn there would be ructions.

I'm calling nonsense.

 

[Harpers Tate]

Whilst I cannot speak for tfl, here in South Yorks, you can get real-time bus information about any stop
- "free" using an App
- "free" using a website
- at a nominal cost using an SMS (text) system.

Perhaps the same is true in London, and some hack has their wires crossed.

("free" in quotes because, of course, you pay one way or another for the data traffic)

 

[northwichcat]

"Pay via their smartphones"

I was under the impression the information was already available free on smartphones

So you have a £0 a month contract which gives a data allowance? If not then you have to pay for data on your phone one way or another.

 

[rmt4ever]

They have recently replaced all countdown displays from the red text to yellow text ones. So I'd imagine they wouldn't be doing this. Also people seem to forget a huge amount of elderly, disabled people who are unable to use mobile smartphones! Removing them would be ridiculous.

 

[EM2]

Some bus stops round here have never got a display!

 

[rmt4ever]

Some bus stops round here have never got a display!

Does seem to be busier ones. Most outside stations have them

 

[vicbury]

They have recently replaced all countdown displays from the red text to yellow text ones. So I'd imagine they wouldn't be doing this. Also people seem to forget a huge amount of elderly, disabled people who are unable to use mobile smartphones! Removing them would be ridiculous.

Same goes for tourists on overseas contracts with no data allowance in the UK or anyone whose phone has ran out of power!

 

[rmt4ever]

Same goes for tourists on overseas contracts with no data allowance in the UK or anyone whose phone has ran out of power!

Typical good old LT not giving a s**t about what passengers want/need but do what they want anyway

 

[Abpj17]

Most of the tourist services are pretty frequent anyway [this is if the tourist is even on the right side of the road and planning to pay with a card/has ticket already...] and free-wifi isn't difficult to find in the main tourist areas either. Better advertising of the app/web countdown service would be helpful for the stops without a countdown (particularly in the city/westminster, there isn't space for the large displays tfl use anyway).

As Via Bank says, as long as they don't remove the current web service/API...

 

[Goldfish62]

I have been told from a reliable source that TfL will be removing Countdown displays from all bus stops forcing passengers to pay via their smartphones to get information which is currently free.

I haven't been able to find any news sources but did find this thread on another forum which seems to back my source:
http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1417358802

(I hope mods don't mind me linking to another forum)

Complete rubbish, I'm happy to say.

 

[Be3G]

Also people seem to forget a huge amount of elderly, disabled people who are unable to use mobile smartphones! Removing them would be ridiculous.

This is indeed an important point. I know of one countdown display which on the face of it seems a very odd choice of stop, with just three TfL routes all serving exactly the same bus stops and same destination thereafter, providing a maximum of eight buses per hour and as few as four. But the reason it's there, I expect, is because it's located next to a large area of housing for the elderly.

On a more general note, don't the new countdown displays have speakers with the intention being to provide audio announcements one day? Another reason to dismiss this rumour saying that the screens are to be abandoned.

 

[yorksrob]

Most of the tourist services are pretty frequent anyway [this is if the tourist is even on the right side of the road and planning to pay with a card/has ticket already...] and free-wifi isn't difficult to find in the main tourist areas either. Better advertising of the app/web countdown service would be helpful for the stops without a countdown (particularly in the city/westminster, there isn't space for the large displays tfl use anyway).

As Via Bank says, as long as they don't remove the current web service/API...

What makes you think everyone has access to, or is comfortable using the web in this way ? I think it's a bit much to expect everyone to be confident using the web, let alone smart phones to do everything under the sun.

 

[jon0844]

Smartphones can nearly do everything under the sun, and there are plenty of apps, but not everyone has one which means I can't see the displays going anytime soon.

But not all stops have them. It's quite possible they never will.

 

[Abpj17]

What makes you think everyone has access to, or is comfortable using the web in this way ? I think it's a bit much to expect everyone to be confident using the web, let alone smart phones to do everything under the sun.

I don't and didn't say that. I said those services ought to be better advertised. (And if talking tourists, who can afford and have managed to make it from overseas to London....the vast, vast majority will be technically literate)

 

[Goldfish62]

Typical good old LT not giving a s**t about what passengers want/need but do what they want anyway

Except the story is rubbish, utterly without foundation. Countdown signs are staying. End of.

By the way, "LT" hasn't existed for quite some time.

 

[edwin_m]

I don't and didn't say that. I said those services ought to be better advertised. (And if talking tourists, who can afford and have managed to make it from overseas to London....the vast, vast majority will be technically literate)

And quite possibly having to pay an arm and a leg if they turn on data roaming.

 

[Deerfold]

As someone who works with these signs every day I'd be very surprised if there's anything in it, considering the amount of resource involved in trying to improve their accuracy.

Stops largely got signs based on how busy they are, though a few have them for other reasons and some very busy stops unfortunately cannot be fitted.

TfL is keen for additional use to be made of the raw Countdown data which is supplied to developers for free.

 

[90sWereBetter]

Stops largely got signs based on how busy they are, though a few have them for other reasons and some very busy stops unfortunately cannot be fitted

I assume one of the busy stops that cannot have Countdown is Waterloo Bridge for buses heading north over the Thames?

 

[Deerfold]

I assume one of the busy stops that cannot have Countdown is Waterloo Bridge for buses heading north over the Thames?

I believe there are problems there with installing a power supply.

 

[jon0844]

Could they not be powered by solar? In Sweden they have even more simple LCD (calculator style) displays at some stops that are static (no scrolling info) but convey live info just fine. A reasonable sized panel would drive this during the day and charge batteries for night.

Edit: like this

 

[matt_world2004]

There is a bus stop near crystal palace with its countdown display covered up with a message saying use the website. Also I have seen some stations with the countdown display removed and replaced with departure lcd's

 

[infobleep]

As someone who works with these signs every day I'd be very surprised if there's anything in it, considering the amount of resource involved in trying to improve their accuracy.

Stops largely got signs based on how busy they are, though a few have them for other reasons and some very busy stops unfortunately cannot be fitted.

TfL is keen for additional use to be made of the raw Countdown data which is supplied to developers for free.

There are one or two stops in Kingston and Surbiton where the displays would be handy. The two stops outside Surbiton station towards Kingston don't have displays but the one outside Waitrose does. Unfortunately during means peak rush hour it's not always possible to board a bus outside Waitrose due to passenger numbers.

When I got poor data reception from O2 there and it was busy, I'd find myself going to Waitrose to see which bus is first and then walking to either of the bus stops by the station in order to be able to board.

Again Brook Street in Kingston towards Surbiton could do with a display. I don't know if that stop is popular enough to warrant it.

 

[causton]

Problem with advertising the website too much is it doesn't make TfL money! Hence why the messages on every stop say to text them for a small fee

 

[Abpj17]

And quite possibly having to pay an arm and a leg if they turn on data roaming.

hence the reference to widespread availabilty of free wifi in tourist hotspots...(which would see no data roaming costs).

 

[yorkie]

(I hope mods don't mind me linking to another forum)

You can link but the Forum Rules also require you to quote

Also I'd suggest that the "reliable source" is perhaps not quite as reliable as claimed!

There are numerous people who work for TfL on this forum, so I think we'd know about it if it was true

 

[edwin_m]

hence the reference to widespread availabilty of free wifi in tourist hotspots...(which would see no data roaming costs).

Know of existence of wi-fi
Find correct wi-fi from long list of irrelevant ones
[bus passes]
Register for wi-fi, trying to avoid future bombardment of irrelevant emails
[bus passes]
Find site, check for buses, tells you two have just gone

Sorry, I can't see it unless a wi-fi network with the same name and credentials is provided at most or all bus stops.

 

[Busaholic]

Know of existence of wi-fi
Find correct wi-fi from long list of irrelevant ones
[bus passes]
Register for wi-fi, trying to avoid future bombardment of irrelevant emails
[bus passes]
Find site, check for buses, tells you two have just gone

Sorry, I can't see it unless a wi-fi network with the same name and credentials is provided at most or all bus stops.

How much simpler to just have Countdown at the stop. Don't also forget opportunists waiting at stops waiting for anyone vulnerable-looking producing a smartphone then quick snatch and away. Why always the temptation to over-complicate?

 

[Deerfold]

How much simpler to just have Countdown at the stop. Don't also forget opportunists waiting at stops waiting for anyone vulnerable-looking producing a smartphone then quick snatch and away. Why always the temptation to over-complicate?

Simpler but costlier.

There are around 2600 stops with Countdown displays. There was at one stage a plan to cover 4000 but when budgets were cut this was a loser. Any additional stops are likely to be where local authorities have secured section 106 funding from housing developments.