Tuesday 14 December 2010

Travel information - TfL shows ATOC how to do it

This from the TfL website...

Updated Web Developers' Area and free travel information go live today. Free provision of data part of Transport for London's (TfL's) digital strategy and supports the Mayor's commitment to make data available to the public.

Compare and contrast TfL's policy with that of ATOC, where the monopoly supplier of UK rail information charges developers a hefty fee to use 'live departure board' & 'journey planning data' - even when the resulting apps are to be offered to users for free.

Of course the failure of TOC's to provide effective communications during the recent poor weather has revealed the limitations of ATOC's approach.

Meanwhile the Mayor and TfL are keen to exercise more influence over the Greater London rail network - with one of the prizes being the better integration of passenger information so that rail travellers can be kept informed about network performance.

Hopefully TfL have made an appropriate submission to David Quarmby?