Solar powered bus stop displays improve passenger experience in the Scottish Borders

Journeo is working with Scottish Borders Council to bring scheduled and live Real Time Passenger Information to remote communities, with fifteen sustainable bus stop displays now installed across Southeast Scotland.

The solar powered displays significantly lower the cost of installation, with no expensive civil works, and remove the ongoing costs of powering the units from the grid.

They also require very little in the way of power, which is important to maintain the service during periods of low ambient sunlight. Journeo’s e-paper displays have also been specifically designed to be easy to install, with minimal maintenance requirements.

Scottish Borders Council has been a customer of Journeo for over five years and this latest project is being funded by Scotland’s Community Bus Fund. The new displays are part of the Council’s long-term strategy to improve the passenger experience by providing accurate and timely travel information in rural locations and increasing the number of real time displays at bus stops.

Dan Cathcart, Localities’ Transport Officer, Scottish Borders Council, commented: “These innovative displays from Journeo have extremely low power and data requirements; they can be easily fitted to existing poles and they are quickly up and running. We don’t have to close roads or fund road works to lay new power cables. But the big winners are our customers in rural communities where they will benefit from more consistent information about their bus services.”

Ted Beatson, Group Sales Manager for Journeo, concludes: “The most costly and time-consuming challenge for a Local Transport Authority rolling out real time information is the need for power infrastructure to be in place. If it isn’t, it is extremely costly and disruptive to carry out the necessary works. Our e-paper displays are ideal in situations where complicated and costly works need to be avoided. Using our self-sustained units, which fit quickly to existing poles, need no direct power connection and are proven to work in the region, is a win-win for the Council and the community.”