(24 Dec 2023, 12:37 pm)Storx wrote  
Pop is a complete mess imo, it might aswell be called The Metro Card, I don't get why it's been so mishandled since the start. Network One immediately should have been launched onto it and that scrapped but we still have that running however many years later and Network One is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, information on it. Must be the most confusing multi modal system in the whole country.

Of course, I don't blame the PTE/LA for the losses that would be riduculous but imo someone needs to condense all bus information into one site or place and we just don't have it still. You have to remember the areas where there's multiple operators which are stuggling the most and it's no doubt it's because people are simply confused.

The fact the Nexus has no form of journey planner in 2023, is just disgustingly poor imo. The ticket information page is also like trying to read through an manual aswell, it's a pathetic site. Compare that to say the West Midlands - https://www.tfwm.org.uk/. You can do literally everything you need from the home page, plan a journey - with a less walking option, find tickets, and then important information about travel. Not footsteps with Mo Farah which is unneeded information.

Someone needs to display this information, and it simply can't be the operators as it's illegal for them to do it. Someone needs to take responsibility on it, and it falls simply down to the PTE/LA as it's literally they're job.

Bad ticketing, bad information and bad routes, hot mess combination for problems. The last one falls on the operator, the first 2 falls on everyone, arguably more PTE/LA than anyone. Even the new TNE tickets are like trying to find gold at the end of the rainbow on the Nexus website.

I had a small, initial involvement in it at the beginning and it was doomed to fail when it became clear there was going to be no joined up thinking across the region. 

Operators were going after their own individual and unique systems like a greedy schoolboy after some sweets. 
Even more attractive once they knew there would be continued uplifts attached to the 6/7 figure grants and ultimately, very minimal investment on their part.

Maybe Nexus could have encouraged greater discussion, maybe they could have been stronger. 
But there's no way they could have insisted the operators should not apply for their own system and subsequently, physically stop them.