UK: The government has announced plans to launch a Bus Open Data Service with the aim of making it easier for passengers to access information on bus routes, timetables, location and fares in England.
The project will standardise and publish information which bus operators will be legally obliged to provide. Data on routes and timetables is expected to be available from early 2020, followed by location and fares from January 2021.
Developers will be able to add the information into existing apps or develop new products.
‘This marks the start of a digital transformation for the delivery of bus services across England’, said David Beardmore, Commercial Director at the Open Data Institute. ‘The tech industry will use the data to innovate and develop new products and services, but fundamentally consumers are the ultimate winners; armed with better information they can plan their journeys more easily and make better choices about tickets’.