traveline Press Release

Press Release - Traveline Changes Telephone Number

8 February 2007

Following a decision made by Ofcom (Office of Communications), Traveline is changing the phone number it has had since the launch of the service in 2000.

The new number is 0871 200 22 33 and will run in parallel with the 0870 608 2 608 number until January 2008. Calls from landlines cost 10p per minute. Mobile costs vary. We expect a gradual transition to the new number as it is marketed.

Traveline provides route and timetable information for all public transport operators in England, Scotland and Wales.

In conjunction with the telephone information service, there is also a website and a Traveline text service which sends bus times directly to your mobile phone. Neither of these services is changing although the opportunity will be taken to do more marketing of the SMS text service.

-ENDS-

NOTES TO EDITOR:

Ofcom confirmed on 19 Apr 06 measures to improve price transparency and strengthen consumer protection for calls to 0870 numbers.
Ofcom will require mobile and fixed-line providers (including payphones) to charge the same or less for 0870 calls as they do for national-rate calls to geographic numbers (starting 01 or 02).
The result of this Ofcom decision is that it will now cost companies more to operate a 0870 number from January 2008.
The average traveline call takes 1 min 40 secs. Thus the average cost to phone Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 on a landline will be 17 pence which it is believed is good value.
The purpose of traveline is to provide timetable information from all stops for public transport (bus, coach, metro, train, and GB ferry) both through a single telephone call and the regional internet service in accord with the appropriate aims in the Transport White Paper and to meet the specific requirements on local authorities and bus operators for bus information in the Transport Act 2000.

Contact: Tony Ferguson, Director traveline — 020 7240 3131 & tonyf@cpt-uk.org