traveline Press Release

0871 200 22 33 — THE NEW NUMBER FOR TRAVELINE

13 February 2007

Contact: Barbara Golder, Manager, North East Transport Information Service Ltd, on 0191 276 3706

A travel information line used by 550,000 people in North East England is getting a new number.

0871 200 22 33 is the new number for Traveline, replacing the existing number which has been in use since the launch of the service in 2000.

Last year 550,662 people from the Tees Valley to the Scottish border phoned Traveline for information on public transport services.

A single national number puts callers in touch with regional operators able to provide up-to-date information on all stops for public transport, whether it be bus, Metro, train or domestic ferry services.

The new number is being introduced to provide continuing good value for callers, with an average 1min 40 sec call from a landline costing 17p.

0871 200 22 33 will run in parallel with the existing national number, 0870 608 2 608, until the latter is retired in January 2008.

Steve Noble, Chairman of North East Transport Information Service, said: ”We expect a gradual transition to the new number as customers get to know it and see it on publicity material and at bus stops.

”A huge number of people use Traveline to get up-to-date information quickly and cheaply, and this new number means we can continue to grow the service we offer.•

As well as the phone number Traveline has a website, www.traveline.info, and a Traveline text service which sends bus times direct to your mobile phone. Neither of these services is changing.

The change to the telephone number was prompted by Ofcom (The Government‘s Office of Communications) making changes to the way 0870 numbers are priced.

NOTES TO EDITOR:

Ofcom confirmed on 19 Apr 06 measures to improve price transparency and strengthen consumer protection for calls to 0870 numbers.
Ofcom will require mobile and fixed-line providers (including payphones) to charge the same or less for 0870 calls as they do for national-rate calls to geographic numbers (starting 01 or 02).
The result of this Ofcom decision is that it will now cost companies more to operate a 0870 number from January 2008.
The average Traveline call takes 1 min 40 secs. Thus the average cost to phone Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 on a landline will be 17 pence which it is believed is good value.
The purpose of Traveline is to provide timetable information from all stops for public transport (bus, coach, metro, train, and GB ferry) both through a single telephone call and the regional internet service in accord with the appropriate aims in the Transport White Paper and to meet the specific requirements on local authorities and bus operators for bus information in the Transport Act 2000.