1. STREAM B
Stuart Lowrie
Senior Professional Officer, The City of
Edinburgh Council
Bustracker – www.mybustracker.co.uk:
Web Based RTPI Development and User
Statistics Analysis

2. Will there ever be a case for
removing on-street displays?
Stuart Lowrie
Acting Public Transport Manager
The City of Edinburgh Council

3. 3
• Launched in 2004
• Funding from Scottish Executive Public Transport Fund
• Partnership between Council, Lothian Buses and Ineo
• Initially 85 on-street signs located on Quality Bus Corridors
• Designed for use by multiple operators
• Radio based system

4. 4
On-street signs
• Additional funding in following
years
• Currently around 400 signs on-
street
• Key stops, interchanges,
supermarkets, hospitals, airport
• 2300 bus stops total
• Entire Lothian Buses fleet
included

5. 5
On-street signs
• Demand for new signs still high
• Devised scoring rationale for new sign installations
• Rollout of talking signs, 20 locations
• Limited budget available
• Maintenance costs associated with signs is high

6. 6
Sign distribution

7. 7
Bus stop distribution

8. 8
Web / Mobile
• MyBusTracker.co.uk
• Launched in 2008
• Provides information for all
stops served by Lothian
Buses
• At stop QR codes
• Good value when compared
to on-street signs
• WAP and mobile site
• Marketing on signs and
posters / leaflets
• Recent server upgrade
• API and statistics now
available

9. 9
iPhone / Android
• Developed by members
of public
• Use phones GPS to locate
nearest stop
• Very popular
• Web hits exceeding
500,000 per day
• Web hits and
smartphone downloads
increasing

10. 10
Website requests per month

11. 11
What next?
• Statistical analysis of website carried out by WYG
• Allow understanding of distribution of requests and user
behaviour
▪ Which bus stops receive the most requests for web-based
information?
▪ What device is used to access the information?
▪ Should bus stops with on-street signs and high web-based
requests have the signs removed?
▪ What bus stops receive the least requests for web-based
information?
▪ How can web-based requests be made more popular at these bus
stops?

12. 12
Most popular stops
Edinburgh
University
Heriot-Watt
University
Edinburgh
Park
Edinburgh
University
Interchange on
route to hospital
City centre
without sign
Popular residential
without sign
Anomaly

13. 13
Application usage by stop

14. 14
Application usage by ward

15. 15
Using the information
• At stop advertising
• Approach businesses, hotels B&B’s, schools
• Identify stops that may have less need for signs and
develop a strategy for removal
• Web stats and sign scoring matrix can be used as
justification for why one particular sign is removed and
not another

16. 16
Conclusions
• Website and smartphone use is becoming increasingly
popular – set to continue, smartphone sales outsell all
others
• On-street signs are still very popular – especially with
elderly
• Currently no political desire to reduce sign numbers
• Popular tourist destination – signs are undoubtedly
useful
• Cheaper alternatives being explored – possible web
based solution with city centre wi-fi
• Actually signs are good value for money.

17. 17
Ian Mathie
1958 - 2013

18. 18
Thank you
Stuart Lowrie
Acting Public and Accessible Transport Manager
stuart.lowrie@edinburgh.gov.uk