The quest for open rail data

Jonathan RaperPlacr

Workshop

• The politics– The quest for open rail data– Jonathan Raper (@madprof)

• The technology– UK Rail Data from a Technical Perspective– Peter Hicks (@poggs)

Rail industry structureYour tax

Your fares

Courtesy: Network Rail

Network Rail mission

• “Network Rail… operates, maintains, renews and develops the infrastructure to deliver the outputs that governments.. wish to buy” ORR

• High Level Output Spec is what government buys• “Delivering a Sustainable Railway 2007” specifies• Service levels etc that will be funded CP4 09-14• Periodic Review 08 by ORR matches task & funds• NR also manages £10bn capital investment

Rail industry funding

Rail passengers interests

• Should be defended by…• HLOS/ RUS planning by DfT• Enquiries if needed by Office of Rail Regulation• Passenger Focus consumer watchdog activity• Customer service interests of ToCs• Information from NRE• Journey Planning by transportdirect.info

What’s the problem?

• DfT only does performance, price & development

• Almost all ToCs are monopolies on each line• ORR tolerates self-regulation by ATOC• Passenger Focus have influence but no power• Transportdirect.info has no API by design• The industry is fragmented and complex• Very little information escapes the industry

What’s the solution?

• Information. Lots of it.• Arm the consumer• Timetables to analyse service patterns• Real time data to monitor delays• Fares data to identify savings eg fare splitting• Integration with other transport data eg bus• Developers can help with this… can’t they?

Rail data complexity

Role of National Rail Enquiries• NRE are a service of ATOC• Set up to provide phone service at privatisation• Developed organically to run a web/API service• Integrates complex real time data• Network Rail exclusively sub-licences NRE all data• So, NRE is a monopoly commercial supplier of info

about services mostly funded by taxpayer• Monopolies typically focus on own interests…

Role of NRE in passenger info• What passengers want

– Train times for free on web and good value apps– Fares info to get the cheapest journey– Integrated transport options

• What NRE say their aims are (with some simplification)

– “to increase ticket sales– to grow our registered customer base– to continue our dominance as the #1 web site in travel– Improving speed, accuracy &availability of information– keep the cost of info to ToCs down”

NRE is regulated by ORR

• Regulated by ORR Code of practice• Code was implemented after competition enquiry• BUT Contains restrictive terms and conditions

– Applications which in NRE’s reasonable opinion are of demonstrable benefit to passengers will be granted unless outweighed by a material adverse impact on TOCs (whether financially, strategically, operationally or in regards to their reputation or the reputation of the industry as a whole).” (Para 2)

Apps and services approved

• Most rail info apps expensive, NRE charging £• Some free apps e.g LiveTrains, but no policy

NRE controls licences

• NRE refuses licences on value judgment basis– Alex Hewson [for publishing email discussions]– Complain & Claim [will encourage fraud]

• Approves licences after intrusive checks– business model & directors’ background checks

• NRE sets high prices not on marginal cost basis– Fares, timetable & routing data £1534– API revenue share on business case acceptance only

Need a new range of services

• local public transport aggregation• novel visualisations• delay monitoring for refunds• cheapest fare finders• Placr’s tube-radar cannot be produced

for the rail industry• Public interest in scrutiny not

considered in licensing process

What can be done

• Reform NRE licencing and liberalise market– Submit your views to ORR by 20th June

• Gain access to the data from Network Rail– Develop access to NR’s internal TD.net

• Next part of workshop focuses on tech options

Contact

http://www.placr.co.uk@MadProfjonathan.raper@placr.co.uk