Network Rail has begun trials on one of their latest projects to improve customer experience, with London Waterloo recently receiving High-Definition (HD) colour LED information displays.
A key part in rail travel for passengers, Network Rail decided the station would benefit from improved information displays, with these 3 metres by 1.5 metres HD LED displays now in operation for a trial period until December 2020.
Information for the displays will be maintained by South Western Railway (SWR), showing real-time travel times and information for disrupted services.
London Victoria Station is planned to be fitted with larger 5 metres by 2.5 metres HD LED displays in September 2020 for trialling.
Network Rail Southern Region Managing Director John Halsall said: “Accurate, real-time, and easy-to-understand customer information is critical to passengers' experience in stations and is key to putting our passengers first.
We're really happy to see the introduction of this new technology at London Waterloo, which is the country's busiest station. With its position on the station concourse, it will provide passengers with the latest information to help them make more informed decisions about their journey.”
Network Rail's Director of National Passenger and Customer Experience Charlene Wallace said: “This project has been a fantastic collaborative effort from our telecoms, stations team and Southern region colleagues and is a great example of how we are using technology to really improve the experience of our passengers at our major stations.”
South Western Railway Customer Experience Director Alan Penlington said: “We know our customers want reliable and up-to-date information when travelling with us.
“We're delighted to be able to work with Network Rail to trial this new information screen at London Waterloo, allowing our customers to get easy to understand information so they can stay up to date and plan their journey.”
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The display looks very clear but I wonder how indicative the many “Please Enquire”s are of how the system will work. Clear displays are all very well but they have to be fed with accurate and up to date information. No matter how much automatic computerised help is available, the input has to come initially from a human.
Maybe other London terminus stations could have these real time information screens so that passengers can see which trains have arrived, departed or are on time or delayed/cancelled. And at other major UK railway stations including Birmingham New Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Liverpool Lime Street, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh Waverley, Glasgow Central, Glasgow Queen Street and other major railway stations in England, Wales and Scotland.