Portsmouth City Council, using Bus Service Improvement Plan funding are considering piloting Digital Demand Responsive Transport (DDRT) in Port Solent. DDRT will run to a timetable but journeys will only operate when someone books them. The service would be provided by accessible taxis or small minibuses.
The proposed service would be a demand responsive and flexible bus service, whereby all passengers heading in a similar direction could share a vehicle to their destination. The service is booked and paid for via a smart phone app. This could be a sustainable solution to improve non-car travel in the Port Solent area and at the same time improve the environment by reducing congestion and CO2 emissions.
The bus service would serve some stops at set times (for example to connect with trains or other bus services), but by using demand responsive technology on the bus, it may be possible to make the service more flexible than a traditional bus service. For example, the bus route could be changed to avoid stops where there are no passengers and to bring the bus closer to where more people want to go or be picked up from.
In order to understand potential demand for this service Portsmouth City Council consulted with the businesses and residents of Port Solent.
