§ Lord Bradshawasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the performance of the national bus information service Traveline (PTI 2000) is satisfactory. [HL1460]
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston)The national public transport information service, traveline, was switched on region by region last year. Experience showed that in some regions improvements in telecommunications equipment and computerised journey planners were necessary, together with gathering additional local data. These improvements are now in hand, allowing the service to steadily improve.
§ Lord Bradshawasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the database upon which the national bus information service Traveline depends will continue to be fully available in the future. [HL1461]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonThe national public transport information service, traveline, is operated by regional partnerships of transport operators and local authorities. Each region has developed its own approach to meeting the traveline requirement. Any database that a region has developed to support its service is the responsibility of the respective partners.
§ Lord Bradshawasked Her Majesty's Government:
What discussions have taken place with the bus industry about the future performance and funding of the national bus information service Traveline; and whether any public funding will be made available to ensure that bus passengers have access to up-to-date information which is now available to rail passengers. [HL1462]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonThe national public transport information service, traveline, is led nationally by a steering group chaired by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT). One of my officials represents the department on that group. Ministers and officials have also had periodic meetings with CPT officials and others in connection with traveline, including issues of performance.
The Government have made £10 million available to local authorities in 1998–2001 to enable them to play their part in getting essential building blocks for traveline in place.
§ Lord Bradshawasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to ensure that reliable information is available to travellers wishing to make multi-modal journeys. [HL1463]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonThe national public transport information service, traveline, provides multi-modal journey information about all forms of public transport. Currently available by telephone76WA (0870 6082608), the traveline partners have begun development of an internet-based service.
Traveline is a step on the way to the more comprehensive, internet-based transport information service, Transport Direct, announced in the 10-year plan for transport, Transport 2010. The Transport Direct programme aims to provide the traveller with all the information he or she needs before and during a journey anywhere in the UK, and with the ability to buy the associated tickets.