Devon County Council

From Adrian Lane, Exeter 383262, August 11, 2008

NEW signs are being added to every bus stop and bus shelter in Exeter giving details of how passengers can get bus timetable information direct to their mobile phone.

Devon County Council's 'TXT 4 Times' service allows passengers to access bus timetable information anytime, anywhere simply by sending a text message. Each bus stop has a unique code, so information received relates only to that specific stop.

The service is automated and operates 24 hours a day, every day, and it is intended to roll the service out across the whole of Devon over the next 12 months.

Councillor Margaret Rogers, Devon County Council Executive Member for Environment, said: "This scheme is a simple way of getting bus timetable information you need at your fingertips, on demand. The scheme is already proving popular with passengers and I'm sure that with the new signs in place it will continue to grow. Passengers can pick the bus stop nearest to their home, the stop they use to get to work or even the one nearest their school or college and store it on their mobile phone for when they need it."

Marc Reddy, Managing Director of First Devon and Cornwall, said:

"It's great to be involved in projects like this, which really do make a difference to passengers. Being able to text one number to find out when the your next bus is due reduces the need for you to memorise the bus timetable, and makes catching a bus even more convenient. We hope that our passengers will use the new service."

Richard Stevens, Operations Director for Stagecoach Devon, said: "Stagecoach is delighted to participate in this initiative to promote the

ease of texting for bus information, it will help a lot more people get the 'message' and use their local bus."

To mark the launch of the new signs, a celebratory event will take place in Bedford Square from 10am to 1pm on Friday (15 August). Winners of a competition being run all this week in partnership with Gemini FM, Stagecoach Devon and First Devon and Cornwall will be presented with their prizes at the event.

The TXT 4 Times scheme is a development of the Traveline bus information service organised by South West Passenger Transport Information (SWPTI) - a partnership of 18 local authorities and 14 bus companies in the South West.

For further information about the TXT 4 Times service visit: http://www.devon.gov.uk/text_messaging_service.htm

Notes for Editors:

Councillor Margaret Rogers, 01297 680384.