Trapeze Group UK and Ito World will deliver an ‘Open Data Hub’ and ‘Disruption Messaging Tool’ respectively.

Both initiatives are part of phase two of a £150M Department for Transport ‘Integrated & Smart Travel’ programme which covers customer information, collaboration and innovation. The programme extends open source fares data and disruption information currently available to rail passengers to bus and tram journeys.

The aim is to ultimately deliver account based ticketing using contactless capped payments on multi mode, multi operator public transport journeys across northern England.

The ‘Open Data Hub’ will allow local authorities and operators to collate and host transport data such as fares and disruption. Information will be made openly available to suppliers of journey planning apps and other data developers. The hub is expected to go live in December.

The ‘Disruptions Messaging Tool’ will allow for planned and unplanned disruption messaging to be rapidly shared across social media and on street displays, to keep public transport users up to date.

Barry White, Chief Executive at Transport for the North, said: “This is a further investment in the north's public transport network and enables us to deliver improvements to the way passengers find out about and travel across the region.
“Wherever you are going, journeys on public transport should be simple and easy to plan for. By providing quality, open and reliable data, these 'smart' innovations will help make getting from A to B an improved and more seamless experience."

(Photograph: Flagship Consulting)