Jobs threat at Traveline public transport information service

Dec 28 2009 by Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail

JOB losses are being threatened at the Traveline public transport information service due to a drop in demand from callers needing local bus and train times.

Traveline has been operated for almost ten years by West Midlands Transport Information Services – a joint company with partners representing local bus operators, Centro, shire county authorities, and three unitary authorities in the region.

But increasing demand from the internet has led to a reduction in the volume of calls from members of the public which, in turn, has resulted in a possible impact on jobs.

Around 40 people are currently employed on the Traveline service, based at Centro House in Summer Lane, Birmingham, but it is not yet clear how many jobs are at risk.

One member of staff, who did not want to be named, said: “We had letters saying there were going to be redundancies. The reason they are saying is that not many people are using the service.

“You always have information on bus stops and also on the internet. They are losing money all the time and need to cut costs, but a lot of people are worried about their jobs.

“People with families and mortgages are understandably panicking. Some people have been here 20 years.”

WMTIS chairman Charles Souter said: “Traveline was set up specifically to provide transport information services in the West Midlands. But in line with a lot of transport information services, people are increasingly reverting to the internet for their information, so the demand on our call centre is declining at the moment.”

Mr Souter said they would continue to provide a 364 day a year service from 7am to 10pm daily except Christmas Day.

The call centre provides details of all bus services registered within the West Midlands region, which includes Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford & Wrekin, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.