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“ON THE BUSES” it may not be, but a live interactive television service offering public transport information may prove just as popular with travellers in Tyne and Wear. The service, which goes live tomorrow (Tues), will give Sky satellite and Telewest and ntl cable viewers access to a range of public transport information at the press of a remote control button. Public transport operator Nexus is introducing the digital television service as a pilot scheme, which will run until March 2005. Initially, information on the service will be relatively limited and include basic transport information. The pages will also include information on the Metro and Shields Ferry, and information on the Nexus Care Services, including who to contact. However Nexus plans to add more services and interactivity to the scheme over the course of the pilot. This will include more detailed information about tickets as well as the U Call scheme. But already there is a Contact Page in place allowing viewers to request information or register a complaint. Ken Brown, Corporate e-business Manager for Nexus said: “The idea of the digital television pilot is to broaden out access to public transport information to as many people as possible. “We already have a presence on the Internet but not everyone has access to the web. But virtually every household in Tyne and Wear has television and many now have satellite or cable services and so are able to access the new service. “As a pilot scheme it is a work in progress and we will be adding further services to it over the coming months as we learn what people are using and what else they would like to see on their screens. “We will, of course, be monitoring usage through the “hit-counter” facility on the site and so we will know what kinds of elements people find most useful. “We will also welcome feedback from users to tell us what we’re getting right and suggesting what we could add to the service to make it even more useful.” The Nexus and Tyne and Wear digital television scheme forms part of the government’s national project on digital television as the administration moves towards full electronic delivery of public services by 2005 and the switching off of the analogue television signal, probably in 2010. Locally, the agenda is being delivered through the five
Councils of Tyne and Wear and Nexus under the “Tyne and Wear e-government and ICT Partnership” (TWICT). The partnership was formed to share experience and take e-government initiatives forward for the benefit of the region. It is made up of the Heads of ICT from City of Sunderland, Gateshead Council, Newcastle City Council, North Tyneside Council and South Tyneside Council (Chair) and boasts ONE NorthEast (RDA), Durham County Council and Nexus as associate members. The objective of the project is to launch a presence for each of the councils and Nexus on Sky, ntl: and Telewest to determine if interactive digital TV is appropriate for the services offered. Nexus is also planning to launch a similar, though more detailed, service on the region's network of street-based e-government kiosks later in the year.
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