Clarity of information – bus company and transport authority

website assessment

Transport Focus wants to make sure transport users have the information they need

to travel with confidence after the coronavirus lockdown. We are pushing for

information to be crystal clear on bus company, train company and motorway

services websites. We’re after clarity about – among other things – face covering

rules, social distancing arrangements and whether hand-sanitiser is or isn’t available.

Our qualitative research and weekly Travel during Covid-19 survey show that these

are things of concern to transport users. They are often the simple things that will

give reassurance and let people set out knowing what to expect and what they need

to do.

For bus passengers, we conducted an initial assessment of how clear information

was on the websites of a selection of bus companies and transport authorities.

There are simply too many for us to have included them all. The questions are set

out below. We then worked with bus companies and transport authorities to secure

improvements. We carried out a second assessment between 14 and 16 July 2020

which led to further engagement with some companies. The exercise has resulted in

significant improvement. All transport authorities and all but one bus company

websites we looked at are now providing clear information about the things we

assessed. We thank the organisations concerned for their positive engagement to

bring this about. It is a great example of the watchdogs helping companies to help

their passengers.

For the record, you can see the findings of our 14-16 July second assessment after

subsequent engagement with those organisations which had received red crosses.

Please note that the grids represent a snapshot in time and will not be updated: if an

organisation makes subsequent changes to its website resulting in something no

longer being clear it will not be reflected here.

Page 1 of 2

How clear are bus operator websites about key passenger concerns as Britain emerges from lockdown?

An assessment by London Travel Watch and Transport Focus was carried out between 14th and 16th July 2020

Is it clear ……

1. w

ho m

ay a

nd m

ay n

ot tr

avel?

2. w

hat tim

eta

ble

is b

ein

g

opera

ted (

for

exam

ple

, a

Satu

rday s

erv

ice)

3. w

heth

er

tim

eta

ble

chan

ges

are

or

are

not

imm

inen

t?

4a. w

hat

assis

tance is p

rovid

ed

for

dis

able

d p

assengers

?

4b. If s

o, is

it cle

ar

that it m

ay b

e

pro

vid

ed in a

diffe

rent

way t

han

befo

re C

OV

ID-1

9?

5. w

hat ste

ps y

ou w

ill take t

o

maxim

ise s

ocia

l dis

tancin

g,

at

sto

ps a

nd

on b

oard

?

6. w

hat p

assengers

sho

uld

do to

socia

lly d

ista

nce, a

t sto

ps a

nd o

n

board

?

7. th

e a

dvic

e c

lear

on t

he

weari

ng o

f fa

ce c

overi

ngs?

8. w

hat

additio

na

l cle

an

ing is

bein

g c

arr

ied o

ut?

9. w

heth

er

han

d s

an

itis

er

is o

r is

not

pro

vid

ed for

passeng

ers

?

10

whe

n is b

est to

tra

vel an

d

when is b

est

to a

vo

id in t

he

conte

xt of

socia

l d

ista

ncin

g?

11a.

what

ha

ppe

ns if th

e b

us o

r

tram

you w

ant

is fu

ll?

11b.

If s

o,

is it cle

ar

what

happ

ens if th

e last serv

ice o

f th

e

day is fu

ll?

12. Is

wheth

er

cash is o

r is

not

accepte

d b

y d

rivers

?

13.

whic

h e

nq

uiry o

ffic

es a

re

open

(w

ith o

pen

ing h

ours

sta

ted)

and w

hic

h a

re c

losed?

14.

when t

he info

rmatio

n w

as

last u

pdate

d/r

evie

we

d

Bristol, Bath and the West

Leicester

South Yorkshire

Page 2 of 2

Is it clear… 1 2 3 4a 4b 5 6 7 8 9 10 11a 11b 12 13 14

How clear are transport authority websites about key passenger concerns as Britain emerges from lockdown?

An assessment by London Travel Watch and Transport Focus was carried out on 14th and 16th July 2020

Is it clear … 1. w

ho m

ay a

nd m

ay n

ot tr

avel?

2. T

hat

there

may b

e t

imeta

ble

changes a

nd it

is c

lear

how

to

find

these

?

3. w

hat tim

eta

ble

is b

ein

g

opera

ted (

for

exam

ple

, a

Satu

rday s

erv

ice)

4a. w

hat

assis

tance is p

rovid

ed

for

dis

able

d p

assengers

?

4b. If s

o, is

it cle

ar

that it m

ay b

e

pro

vid

ed in a

diffe

rent

way t

han

befo

re C

OV

ID-1

9?

5. w

hat ste

ps y

ou w

ill take t

o

maxim

ise s

ocia

l dis

tancin

g,

at

sto

ps a

nd

on b

oard

?

6. w

hat p

assengers

sho

uld

do to

socia

lly d

ista

nce, a

t sto

ps a

nd o

n

board

?

7. th

e a

dvic

e c

lear

on t

he

weari

ng o

f fa

ce c

overi

ngs?

8. w

hat a

dditio

na

l cle

an

ing is

bein

g c

arr

ied o

ut?

9. w

heth

er

han

d s

an

itis

er

is o

r is

not pro

vid

ed for

passeng

ers

?

10

whe

n is b

est to

tra

vel an

d

when is b

est

to a

vo

id in t

he

conte

xt of

socia

l d

ista

ncin

g?

11a.

what

ha

ppe

ns if th

e b

us o

r

tram

you w

ant

is fu

ll?

11b.

If s

o,

is it cle

ar

what

happ

ens if th

e last serv

ice o

f th

e

day is fu

ll?

12. Is

wheth

er

cash is o

r is

not

accepte

d b

y d

rivers

?

13. w

hic

h e

nq

uiry o

ffic

es a

re

open

(w

ith o

pen

ing h

ours

sta

ted)

and w

hic

h a

re c

losed?

14. w

hen t

he info

rmatio

n w

as

last u

pdate

d/r

evie

we

d

Bus operator questions

Is it clear…

1.who may and may not travel?

2. what timetable is being operated (for example, a Saturday service)

3. whether timetable changes are or are not imminent?

4a. what assistance is provided for disabled passengers?

4b. If so, is it clear that it may be provided in a different way than before COVID-19?

6. what passengers should do to socially distance, at stops and on board?

7. the advice clear on the wearing of face coverings?

8. what additional cleaning is being carried out?

9. whether hand sanitiser is or is not provided for passengers?

10 when is best to travel and when is best to avoid in the context of social

distancing?

11a. what happens if the bus or tram you want is full?

11b. If so, is it clear what happens if the last service of the day is full?

12. Is whether cash is or is not accepted by drivers?

13. which enquiry offices are open (with opening hours stated) and which are

closed?

14. when the information was last updated/reviewed

Transport authorities

Is it clear…

1.who may and may not travel?

2. That there may be timetable changes and it is clear how to find these?

3. what timetable is being operated (for example, a Saturday service)

4a. what assistance is provided for disabled passengers?

4b. If so, is it clear that it may be provided in a different way than before COVID-19?

6. what passengers should do to socially distance, at stops and on board?

7. the advice clear on the wearing of face coverings?

8. what additional cleaning is being carried out?

9. whether hand sanitiser is or is not provided for passengers?

10 when is best to travel and when is best to avoid in the context of social

distancing?

11a. what happens if the bus or tram you want is full?

11b. If so, is it clear what happens if the last service of the day is full?

12. Is whether cash is or is not accepted by drivers?

13. which enquiry offices are open (with opening hours stated) and which are

closed?

14. when the information was last updated/reviewed