UK: Transport for London is using aggregated and depersonalised data from its wi-fi network to provide real-time information on how busy London Underground stations are at any particular time of the day.
TfL has previously used ticketing data to understand travel patterns, with its estimates of quiet times based largely on data from its Oyster smart card and contactless ticketing system which records station entry and exits.
The latest update enables estimates of overall crowding within a station to take into account how busy platforms and interchange points are.
Information is made available through the TfL Go app, enabling passengers to choose quieter times if possible. The data is also being provided through open feeds for use by third party developers.
- On June 30 TfL reported that weekday Underground ridership had reached around 45% of pre-pandemic levels, with the quietest times being 08.15 to 16.00 and after 17.30 on weekdays, and before 12.00 and after 18.00 at weekends. Bus ridership was at 60% to 65% of pre-pandemic levels.
