It is announced today (Monday 25th January) that Coventry is to become a ‘Smart’ city, as it plays host to new, cutting-edge technology that has been developed and could revolutionise the way we travel within our cities.
Running in the city of Coventry as part of UK City of Culture 2021 and facilitated by Coventry BID (Business Improvement District), the Travel Assistant service created by ‘You. Smart. Thing.’ has been in development since 2017. It aims to enable a new generation of personalised wayfinding. In simple speak, it recommends tailored journey plans that enable you to travel more efficiently without disruption or delays.
This not only saves time – and therefore money, greenhouse gases etc. – but also takes you by the safest routes at specific times, which is especially important in the current climate.
But it’s more than just an integrated travel service with live updates. It goes into unchartered territory. Alongside specially tailored travel options and journeys from door-to-door, it can even suggest things to do, places to visit or somewhere to stop for refreshments or comfort breaks along the route.
Trish Willetts, Director of Coventry BID comments; “We’re extremely excited about the launch of this technology into Coventry. It’s another first for the city – and I’m proud, on behalf of Coventry BID, to have played a part in Coventry being the pilot city before it’s rolled out across the UK. It’s a huge coup for Coventry in this historic year and I think it’s going to be a huge success.”
Chris Thompson, Chief Executive Officer at ‘You. Smart. Thing.’ adds; “Coventry is embarking on one of its most ambitious and important years in its history, as it begins its tenure as UK City of Culture 2021. It is testament to all Coventrians that whilst they cherish their unique history, they are also embracing of its future, welcoming in technology such as the Travel Assistant, which has the potential to change the way that we all use the city. We’re thrilled to be part of Coventry’s evolution”.
The YST Travel Assistant has been in discussion since 2017 and has been made possible by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), as part of the Coventry & Warwickshire Innovation Programme, to subsidise development of a next generation travel management ecosystem for the region.
YST secured £67,000 to subsidise research into privacy law, hi-tech sensors that can detect over-crowding, regional transport infrastructure and the accessibility needs of large and diverse audiences. The idea was to combine these elements in order to connect individuals visiting the city with transport and venue operators more efficiently, ultimately delivering a world-leading visitor experience.
Since its initial innovation funding and a further £1m development programme backed by Innovate UK, YST has been contracted to configure the Travel Assistant application so that it can be embedded into the fabric of UK City of Culture venues, websites, transport operators and venue mobile apps. It will integrate transport operator services, recommend event itineraries and help manage the travel plans of residents and visitors during the UK City of Culture 2021 programme. The deal includes options to run to 2025, ensuring social, economic and environmental benefits are maintained way beyond the Travel Assistant’s initial deployment.
“The Travel Assistant will notify people of all the best options for an amazing visit by their preferred method of communication, based on their tastes and specific travel needs.”, explains YST’s Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Steele.
“It captures visitors’ preferences without ever sharing their personal data and puts together recommendations that take into account service availability, crowding and traffic congestion across the region.”
The Travel Assistant deployment will promote active travel combined with SWIFT card integration for regional public transport, and the capability for visitors to request help from venue and transport operator staff as and when it is needed. Anonymised journey patterns will be accessible by transport planning teams across the region, enabling them to dynamically control recommended routes, rather than visitors just relying on standardised mobile apps to get around.
Steele, who was previously involved in the development of Trainline.com adds; “It’s fantastic to see the Travel Assistant being used to showcase artistic endeavour and to power personalisation for visitors to the region.”
Jacob Gough, Production Director at Coventry City of Culture Trust, says; “The major events planned throughout our year as UK City of Culture will attract diverse audiences from the city and beyond. Effective travel planning is essential to help these audiences connect with our world-class programme. Working with ‘You. Smart. Thing.’ will help us make sure people travelling to, and around, Coventry will be able to do so both smartly and safely.”
