140 bus stops and shelters in Portsmouth fitted with new real time information technology
TRAVELLING by bus has been made easier in Portsmouth for the visually impaired with real time audio information now available in more than 100 city shelters.
Fitted with screen-reader technology, new real time information (RTI) kits that tell passengers when their bus will be arriving have been installed in 120 of the city's bus shelters and 20 pole-mounted units at bus stops without shelters.
Of the 545 bus stops in Portsmouth, 230 now have audio-enabled technology.
Councillor Lynne Stagg, Portsmouth City Council's traffic and transport cabinet member, said: ‘Having access to the right information is essential for good public transport travel. People want to know when their bus is due, and whether it is on time.
‘Information needs to be readily available and inclusive, and these new RTI units means that everyone can access the information they need to travel with confidence.’
RTI units display a countdown estimated time of arrival of bus services calling at that stop. It uses GPS data from detectors installed in each bus to calculate how far away the bus is from the stop and new screens will announce when the bus is arriving.
Pole-mounted units work with a push-button, while RTI units in shelters work with a special audio fob, which is available to visually impaired residents from Portsmouth City Council.
To request an audio fob residents in need of them should contact Portsmouth City Council on (023) 9282 9923.
The cost of the new technology has been covered through the government's Transforming Cities Fund. Portsmouth received £4m from the first tranche.