Help is at hand for First Group’s TransPennine Express
31 August 2007
Help points on the platform mark the beginning of an information revolution at station level
London 31st August, 2007 - Passengers heading to Leeds or York from Warrington Central or to Scarborough from Birchwood, can now get the information they need, where they need it most; on the platform. Two state-of-the-art digital help points have been installed on the TransPennine Express network as part of the £12 million investment being made by First Group plc into station improvements; in turn part of a £260 million upgrade programme.
With plans to roll the service out on all 30 TransPennine Express stations, these first interactive touch screen units represent the beginning of an information revolution at station level to provide passengers with up-to-the-minute information at their finger tips. Real-time departures and disruptions from National Rail Enquiries (NRES), a local taxi finder, station maps and local weather are the first services to be piloted on the new network.
“Platform level information is the ‘glue’, if you like, in the travelling model we’re aiming for,” says Edith Rodgers, customer services director of TransPennine Express.
“Our investment in the TransPennine Express rail network aims to provide the 18 million passengers we move every year with a fast, comfortable and dependable service under our operation, and by providing customers with the facility to plan their journeys on and beyond our network, recognises that the journey doesn’t just start and end at our stations; we’re part of people’s bigger travelling picture.”
“Establishing an interactive help point network is possibly one of the smaller investments a rail operator can make, but, it is likely to deliver the greatest impact among customers,” says Guy Wolfenden, Director of Transport, Cityspace.
“Help points are a trusted and familiar icon, a facility being enhanced by the introduction of interactive services which provide customers with confidence and reassurance in the ability to make decisions at every stage of their journey.”
The technology exists to deliver a complete self-service transport infrastructure at every rural station, major interchange and transport terminus in the country. Progressive transport authorities like First Group are investing in intelligent transport infrastructure all over the country, but First is truly demonstrating its commitment to accessible journey planning as an integral part of the bigger picture, pioneering a digital blueprint for rail stations designed around the needs of the passenger.
Professor David Begg, Chairman of the Northern Way Transport Compact, articulates the value of this pioneering network, saying: “Giving the travelling public control over their journey, from door-to-door, is pivotal to the uptake of public transport across the board. Information provides confidence; whilst great strides are being made to deliver speed and comfort on trains, sitting on an unmanned rural platform knowing only that the next train is delayed, is not an acceptable proposition for anyone trying to get anywhere. Journey planning information at platform level should be mandatory if we’re going to get people off the road and onto rail.”
Stretching across the north of England, linking seaside towns on both coasts with inland towns and cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle, the TransPennine Express is an award-winning network now midway through a massive £260m investment programme by First Group. £12m of this is going to station improvements, which feature new waiting rooms, new toilets, improved ticket issuing systems, closed circuit TV and better access for disabled people. The help point network represents a critical element in the overall objective of making the journey experience on TransPennine Express an unparalleled experience.
End.
Notes to editors
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For further information, please contact:
Sophia Henri
Cityspace PR
Tel: +44 (0)20 7313 8428
Email:
www.cityspace.com About Cityspace
Since 1996 Cityspace has been designing and delivering local information services in public spaces through its innovative urban digital networks.Cityspace networks use the latest broadband technology to connect communities with information and services. The company comprises three divisions:
Cityspace Transport delivers real-time information, journey planning, off-board ticketing and security through quality digital networks which makes it easier to use public transport.
Cityspace Wireless delivers outdoor wireless broadband networks for high-speed mobile access to online services and wireless connectivity for fixed infrastructure.
Cityspace Interactive Media offers a range of information and transactional services through networks of self service terminals in public spaces.
Visit www.cityspace.com for more information.
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