I'm happy to talk about @uktrains and why I created it. You can contact me:
Previous media coverage is here.
Key points:
- I built the @uktrains service on Twitter at zero cost, in 2 days. It provides one disruption information for the whole UK or any mix of the individual train companies. Alerts are sent automatically and can be read on phones or the web for free. Twitter is used to supporting massive numbers of users such as during the Obama inauguration.
- National Rail and the train operating companies' websites are not a convenient way to get travel news and crash under (predictable) high-use, like during the snow of 2nd Feb. Their website terms and conditions prohibit all re-use (including non-commercial and personal) of the data they publish and they enforce these restrictions. This is not how to behave on the modern web and is not good customer service.
- Convenient alerts (by SMS) that are available from National Rail cost 25p each, which is at least 20p more than the cost to send. Train operators should not attempt to profit from the failings of their services.
- Train operators should provide service information through multiple channels including social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook which allow them to interact with their customers.
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