Cambridgeshire: New Phone App For Bus Users

17 September 2013, 06:00

Stagecoach have launched a new smartphone app for users travelling in and around Cambridge.

The project, which is now live across selected routes in Cambridge, enables bus users in the area to access timetables and information by using their phone to scan information tags and codes on bus stop displays.

Customers simply hold their smartphone over an information tag or scan the Quick Response (QR) code at the bus stop to access timetable information.

It then becomes available on their phone for that particular stop.

The new scheme will make it even easier to access bus information. An initial 34 bus and Park & Ride stops in Cambridge have been fitted with a sticker containing an NFC tag and QR code.

Alistair Smith, Stagecoach Group Director of Commercial and IT told Heart: "We know our customers have busy lives and we are working hard to deliver convenient and simple ways for our passengers to access service information and buy tickets. We are introducing smarter ticketing at our bus companies across the UK, and we are pleased to have launched this latest pilot in Cambridgeshire which makes it even easier for our customers to access bus timetables."

Mr Smith added: "New technology will continue to play an important role in our future projects and we look forward to attracting even more people on to our greener, smarter bus services."

Stagecoach East Managing Director Andy Campbell said: "This is good news for our customers and is another step towards improving the information we are able to provide to bus passengers. We hope people will take advantage of this new option to help them find out more about their local bus services."

In May 2012, Stagecoach launched the UK's first Government-standard commercial deployment of mobile contactless transport ticketing in Cambridgeshire. The trial, which is still on-going, enables a small cross section of bus users to receive, store and validate their bus tickets using their mobile phone.