Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers. Traffic Radio

Transcription

1 Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers Traffic Radio

2 Structure of the Presentation Summary of the Highways Agency Overview of Traffic Radio Background research to the project Future opportunities

3 The Highways Agency Executive Agency for the Department for Transport Maintain and operate motorways and trunk roads across England Key goals: Reliable journeys Informed travellers Safety

4 What is Traffic Radio? A continuous 24/7/365 spoken traffic information service No music or commercials Strategic information on major routes only Intended for quick dip-in dipout service Go-live this summer

5 Broadcast Platforms DAB across England AM / FM near selected major roadworks or events (temporary low power) The Internet at

6 Intended Listeners Before leaving the house on the DAB kitchen radio (when motorist have a choice) Before leaving the office streamed over the Internet (or via a download) En-route on the HA network when passing selected major events or roadworks DAB in-vehicle as new products emerge

7 DAB Coverage in England Over 80% Population coverage 20% of adults now own a DAB set Initial Coverage 2007 Expansion Currently unlicensed areas

8 Why not FM? Not commercially possible Spectrum is full and demand is extremely high Not an issue that Ofcom could easily resolve DAB is immediately available

9 What about AM? Not in-line with Ofcom policy drive towards DAB and DRM No new licences are to be submitted at the moment Risk of future switch-off (2009 Ofcom review)

10 The Traffic Radio Sound

11 Where did this all begin? HA Internet Radio Trial (HAIR) Liaison with an experienced broadcasting company to operate in partnership Build demonstrator Spoken Information Service Strategy Feasibility study of available technologies Review of information environment Pilot HAIL on other platforms

12 SISS - Trials on AM

13 SISS - Trials on FM

14 SISS - Trials on DAB

15 Feedback from Pilots Feedback gathered through focus groups / Internet feedback forms Approximately 90% of people found the service useful or very useful Approximately 80% of people said the service influenced a recent journey

16 Traffic Radio Web Audience Figures

17 What customers already say HA radio on AM (West Mids, July 2006) 'It's nice that there are no adverts' 'It's a good idea that it is repeated so often' 'More national coverage would be good' 'I have delayed a journey due to the information from the radio' 'I would tune in if it wasn't a pilot and it was permanent' 'I think I would dip in and out' 'It would be a very useful tool for me' 'Advertise it someway, everybody needs to know where it is' And finally, Brian said 'It would be a cracking tool'

18 Benefits of the service Continuously available no need to wait Focussed on regionalised headlines Weekend availability (the new rush hour!) Better freight information during night Small change in behaviour = huge benefits

19 Market Watch Market research (improvements) New technologies (receivers and transmission protocols) Promoting market development (in-vehicle DAB devices) Data service options

20 UK Wide Service? Existing local multiplexes Next round of local multiplexes Future local multiplexes Regional multiplex Note: Overlaps between local multiplexes not shown