West Midland’s RTI boost
West Midlands transport authority, Centro, has installed 25 Real Time Information (RTI) screens at bus stops along the Warwick Road. The change benefits passengers on the 37 bus route, which connects Birmingham city centre with Solihull town centre. The first of the screens, which display a countdown to when the next bus will arrive, have been installed in the Acocks Green area with more set to be added in Olton and Solihull. Each unit has a high quality 28 inch colour TFT display, an upgrade on the LCD screens formerly used for RTI. The roll-out is the first in a wider project, which will see nearly 100 further displays introduced in the Black Country over the next few months. The work forms part of Centro’s government funded Smart Network, Smarter Choices project aimed at cutting carbon, boosting the economy and connecting residents to jobs.
Centro’s Lead Member for Fair, Accessible and Sustainable Transport, Cllr Judith Rowley, said, ‘Real Time Information is something we know our passengers want and being able to put these new screens in place will really help bus users along this route. Along with our smartphone applications the addition of this information at bus stops gives people even more ways to stay up-to-date on their bus arrivals.’