Irish tech firm awarded Manchester transport deal

Irish-owned tech company Infocell Telecom has secured a contract to offer Manchester commuters constantly updated information on bus services.

Infocell will supply its Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) system to bus companies in the Manchester region allowing them to keep passengers informed of the times of the next service with increased accuracy.

The deal with Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority is worth over €3 million in its first phase and will see Infocell provide the RTPI system to 300 buses, 150 bus stops and 85 traffic lights.

It is the largest such contract awarded in Britain to date, for which a total of 37 companies had tendered. The project will ultimately involve 2,900 buses, 2,100 bus stops and 985 traffic lights.

Utilising Global Positioning Satellites and a managed database system, accurate information on bus times will be available to passengers via small electronic screens at bus stops, on individual company intranets and on mobile phones.

On-board screens will also provide information on bus and rail links, traffic conditions if passengers are completing their journeys by car, a map of the locality, shopping and entertainment guides, as well as local and national news.

One of the benefits of the system is that buses running behind schedule will be given priority at busy interchanges.

Using the world's first RTPI system operating on a GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) network, traffic lights will change automatically for buses with full loads.

The GPRS system, commonly known as 2.5G, provides an "always on" Internet connection between the bus and the satellite tracking system.