Agenda item

DISCUSSIONS

Minutes:

  • Councillor Russell stated that the discussion should keep to the technical aspects of Star Trak
  • Councillor Kitterick (Cabinet Lead) to be interviewed
  • Short/Medium and Long Term recommendations to be drafted and agreed
  • New displays to be located at Causeway Lane in time for opening of Highcross Centre
  • Displays at Humberstone Gate and Gallowtree Gate to be reinstated
  • Issues around non-Star Trak fitted vehicles being used on Star Trak routes, particular problems in the evenings when fewer vehicles on the road
  • Officers stated that wherever possible bus companies utilised Star Trak fitted vehicles on Star Trak routes during the day and at evenings and weekends
  • Some operators in City do not have Star Trak fitted vehicles
  • Arriva have some 95% of their Star Trak fitted vehicles working each day on Star Trak routes.
  • Councillor Russell stated that she was aware of cases of early running of vehicles.
  • Officers stated that they would be able to identify early running at timing points on Star Trak routes
  • Bus companies still send staff out with clipboards and stopwatches to check on running times of their vehicles. Star Trak equipment not being utilised to it’s full extent
  • Councillor Russell questione the current use of ‘one way’ radio links with Star Trak bus stop signs, as opposed to ‘two way’ and questioned whether this was a resourcing issue. Officers stated that it was a radio channel capacity issue, with the current 400 messages per minute to existing Star Trak signs this aould then double to 800 messages per minute. There was currently no way an existing sign could detect a fault and report it back
  • Suggested that drivers could check signs, but it was stated that this would not be possible because each stop would in effect become a timing point
  • Councillor Russell stated that there was an issue because bus companies did not differentiate on bus stops/timetables which were timing points or non-timing points
  • Members asked whether there was any data that was readily available that could be used regarding timings
  • Officers stated that they were able to provide bus companies with information that accurately reflected day to day operations. They were happy to provide data summaries as appropriate
  • Agreed that data summaries from one First route and one Arriva route be made available to the Task Group
  • Suggestion that existing Star Trak signs on certain busy routes should have capability to display information on more than the current 2 services at a time. Officers stated that capacity with the current signs had now almost been reached and that improved systems were being looked at. A report on a possible improvement programme would be prepared. Councillor Russell stated that stops that required enhanced signs could then be identified
  • Officers outlined current issues not covered in the discussion and in particular the ‘bus war on the 14 route. First vehicles on the route were mostly Star Trak equipped and showed on Star Trak signs, Arriva vehicles were not equipped. Arriva did not intend to fit Star Trak equipment to vehicles on this route