Working in partnership with Hampshire County Council, First Group and Transport for South Hampshire, Vix is proud to have played a key role in the delivery of the new Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) busway which connects Fareham and Gosport.

Serving both residential and business areas in Fareham, Gosport and the Gosport peninsula, the development of the Eclipse BRT network has been designed to ensure that bus journeys are more punctual and reliable, avoiding the problems that can be created by traffic congestion.

A dedicated busway has been constructed between Redlands Lane and Tichborne Way using what was a former railway line. Its purpose is to enable buses to bypass normal traffic, travelling quickly and easily in a very congested part of the county.

Vix delivered a technological solution to the Eclipse project to assist bus operators with fleet management and provide passengers with real time information, which is key to ensuring reliability of services and, in turn, increasing patronage on the new busway. The solution includes the following elements:

• BusNet central control system for use by both First Group and Hampshire County Council.
• 15 Eclipse Information Totems providing real time multi modal travel information (bus, rail and ferry) and local way finding
  information.
• Integrated Shelter displays and voice help points along the route also showing real time multi modal travel information (bus, rail and ferry) and local way finding information.
• All totems and displays are linking using a fibre network to reduce ongoing communication costs.
• Automatic Vehicle Location using our latest BusNet on vehicle equipment.
• On vehicle TFT displays showing real time multi modal travel information (bus, rail and ferry), advertising and news and weather
  loaded using our Inform Content Management system.
• Next stop audio announcements.
• iPhone and Android mobile applications – Hampshire Real Time Travel Information.

Councillor Mel Kendal, Executive Member for Hampshire County Council, commented: “The project involved everything from bus stop displays, including rail and ferry information, and smart columns as well as on bus next stop displays with audio announcements to a website, a Smartphone app and QR codes at bus stops giving real time information to Smartphones.

“In view of the fact that this involved new equipment on a fleet of new buses and proper testing could only be finalised once vehicles could actually run on the busway, I am very pleased that the system has done everything we have asked of it.”

Peter Eccleson, UK Regional Director for Vix commented: “Vix are delighted to have used our BRT experience to deliver a number of innovative elements to the Eclipse project, which will help to provide a better journey for passengers in Hampshire.”

For further information please contact:

Dawn Culling
dawn.culling@vixtechnology.com
Phone: 07540 721070
Website: www.vixtechnology.com