Page 4328 - Week 10 - Thursday, 22 September 2011
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MR CORBELL: Not that I am aware of.
Transport—passenger information system
DR BOURKE: My question is to the minister for transport. Why has the government decided to introduce a real-time passenger information system in Canberra and at what stage is the planning for the system?
MR CORBELL: I thank Dr Bourke for the question. The government has, as members would be aware, announced that it will invest $12 million in this financial year to allow for the design and subsequent implementation of a real-time passenger information system for Canberra. We are making this investment because we want to improve public transport for all Canberrans. We know that the delivery of real-time information will allow public transport patrons to get reliable data on the departure and arrival time of their service and be able to plan their journeys with greater certainty and reliability.
The implementation of the system will provide instant timetable information for ACTION bus services in real time. It will mean that patrons will be able to accurately ascertain how far away their next bus service is, whether it is running on time or late—or, indeed, early—and plan their journeys accordingly. From 2012-13 the system will monitor the location of all ACTION buses during operation, allowing for real-time arrival and departure information to be provided.
The current status of this project is that the government has engaged consultants KEMA to manage the implementation of the system. The first phase of the project involves the detailed design and specifications. In August this year, a series of focus groups were held to capture comments and views from across the community about the community’s views and expectations of this new technology. The focus groups included bus users and non-users, bus drivers and members of the community with specific needs, for example people with sight impairment. In addition, feedback was sought through a community survey, with over 400 responses received. This feedback has given us an extra insight into the community’s needs and expectations when it comes to the real-time information system, and these views and the information will be taken into account in the design of the system.
To ensure that the community is kept informed on the progress of implementation, information is being made available at each stage of the project. Regular updates are being posted on the “Transport for Canberra” website, with information also available from Canberra Connect. As the project progresses, a comprehensive communication strategy will be rolled out across a wide range of media.
Similarly to the introduction of the MyWay system, a travelling road show will visit key locations to reach the wider community and inform them about what the system is going to deliver.
What is important about this system is that the greater confidence that commuters have in their departure and arrival times the more likely they are to choose public
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