SOLENT RUNNING: PORTAL: PORTSMOUTH'S ONLINE REAL TIME TRAVELLER INFORMATION SYSTEM

This article describes PORTAL, a real-time passenger information project based in the city of Portsmouth, UK. It uses the latest available technology to provide the information in an integrated and multimodal way providing for improved urban transport management and dissemination of travel information across the public transport modes. The project is run by a consortium which brings together partners from public and private sectors. Its main aim is to influence travel behaviour by the dissemination of accurate and timely information, maximise the efficiency of the transport system, control and guide traffic and increase the demand for public transport. These objectives will be achieved through the formation of a Transport Management Centre. The system is based on automatic vehicle location technology and uses digital communication between control and management systems. PORTAL will build on the technology already deployed in Portsmouth including active bus priority. For the covering abstract see ITRD E118381.