Instant bus departure information at your fingertips

Reliable and up-to-the-minute bus departure information will soon be available to smartphone users at the tap of their screen at all bus stops across the region.

Special QR codes, to be fixed to 6,700 bus stop poles, will give passengers the ability to instantly view a list of services stopping and their live departure times. Until now only printed timetables showing scheduled departures have been attached to bus stop poles.

The QR code, which is placed on a plaque above the printed timetable, simply links to the bus departure information screen for that stop – the service is completely free and users will not be asked to input any personal information.

The roll out has started with bus stops in areas on the 936, 937 997 and 998 routes between Walsall or Brownhills and Birmingham via Aldridge, Pheasey and Kingstanding. It is expected to take about a year to roll out across the whole region.  

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, tried the new QR code during a visit to Kingstanding.

He said: “As part of my plans to improve bus services I want to see more passengers get quick access to reliable, up-to-the-minute travel information. This simple system means an end to the frustration of not knowing if your bus is on time.

“I’m looking forward to seeing this available at all stops throughout the West Midlands, improving journeys for everyone.”

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and bus operators have also worked behind the scenes to improve the accuracy of information available as well as offer more localised journey data, including advice about cancelled trips and road works - so people can find out straight away if their bus is delayed or diverted or whether their service will be changing in the future.

Denise Thompson, integrated information manager with TfWM, said: “We have given our real time information service a full overhaul to improve the accuracy of the departure times and make it available to as many passengers as possible through the existing screens at bus shelters and now using smartphones at regular bus stops.

“It is inevitable that buses are sometimes stuck in traffic and, although we are introducing more bus lanes and other priority schemes to reduce the risk of delays, we can’t always prevent them. The next best thing is getting that information to people so they can make an informed decision about their journey.”