Accompanied bus journeys – Bus stop improvements

Positives

• RTI screens are generally in a good position, nice and visible
• Information is clear and large enough to read easily – preferred over the bus apps for someone with a sight impairment
• Viewed as being up-to-date by many – adapting journeys based on the information
• Highly valued – Important to have them working: People might change their journeys if their planned bus is running late. Limited other bus information means people rely on them.

Negatives

• Not all bus stops have RTI
• Increased issues recently (roadworks) – buses on the screen not turning up
• Many screens not working across the city – not always clear when it’s because a bus stop is closed
• Some confusion over how live or accurate the information is – a lack of understanding

• It’s hard to access information – relying on someone telling you or seeing the message shared online (i.e. a Facebook community group)
• Put proper signs up not just a paper notice taped on (which gets ripped off) – there is often plenty of room in the timetable displays
• Poor information online about bus stop closures – apps not useful for this
• Need to make it clear when bus stops are closed – clearer RTI message

“They’ve closed the road for the X4, which I didn’t even realise to be fair, so it stops there and takes a different route because the road is closed off and so many people were sat at that bus stop waiting for a bus that was never going to turn up.”

“Just put a couple of signs up, it’s not hard.”

• RTI is preferred – QR codes are useful but the app isn’t always accurate. Hard to look at an app on your phone with impaired vision
• Audible information/ notifications would be useful at bus stops – there is nothing to tell you the bus is approaching
• There is lots of space at bus stops for better information (see photo on right)
• Portsmouth City Council website states that there is screen reader technology and audio fobs available from the council – raise awareness if this is the case

“Information at the bus doesn’t fill me with confidence.“

Timetables

• Not easy to understand – just lines of numbers (times) with no bus numbers or stops
• Would be useful to see when buses are due, often there is only a map which no-one felt was useful
• Needs to be large enough to read for those with visual impairments
• Think about placement – increased the text size on request but replaced higher so further away and still unable to read

“Where does it stop, this route is only served by the three so why isn’t there a list, all you need is a nice long map that starts at the beginning, finishes at the end, tube style, has all the routes named on it in the middle, how long it takes to get between each one maybe. You need to know when the first and last buses are but you don’t really need to see all the times…it’s a frequent service”.

On buses

• Bus numbers can be hard to see, the signs aren’t always clear
• Added complication if the bus stop placement doesn’t give a clear line of sight or another bus is travelling in front of the bus you want
• White writing is hard to see but orange is easier to read
• Challenging to flag the bus down in time if you can’t read the bus number fast enough – buses don’t stop unless you flag them down

At bus stops

• Clear signage needed at all bus stops, even lampposts and older style triangular roofed bus shelters (seen more on the outskirts of town, North End, etc.)

“If you got out there, there’s nothing there which tells you what stop this is…”

Uneven paving

• Generally paving is good but where it isn’t it’s a risk
• Uneven paving is a risk (when walking between bus stops as well as at bus stops), particularly with a mobility aid and when navigating everything else going on at the bus stop (looking at RTI screens/ the bus app, looking for buses, moving out of people’s way, poor weather, etc.)

Raised kerb

• Not always long enough for two buses to stop – second bus doesn’t benefit from the raised kerb – challenging with a push chair, child and mobility issues to contend with
• Roadworks can mean no raised kerb

Space at the bus stop

• Narrow bus stops can mean there is limited space for people to pass – hard with mobility aids, pushchairs and on top of additional accessibility needs
• The only options here were to step onto the driveway at the forefront of the picture or into the road when people wanted to pass (it was busy with children leaving school). This was challenging with a walking stick and mobility issues to consider, in the pouring rain, a gutter to step over and all whilst looking out for the bus, which was late

“When I’m waiting here I’m always in people’s way.“

Position of the bus stop

• Bus stops positioned on a bend make it hard to see the bus coming – doesn’t give you much warning to read the bus number, get up and flag it down
• At the QA arrival bus stops are on a steep hill –

 “It would be very challenging for people in a self-propelled wheelchair”