E-paper passenger information displays take the UK by storm

Papercast and Pindar Creative report growing demand for technology that encourages the use of more sustainable modes of transport across the UK market 

Papercast, the world leader in solar and battery powered e-paper passenger information displays, has reported escalating demand as the new year brings optimism across the public transport sector after the challenges of the last few years.

Papercast’s innovative display technology is installed in more than 45 countries worldwide, and the influx of new pilots, deployments and extensions will see this increase throughout the year.

Headquartered in London, Papercast is also seeing a growing appetite in its domestic market as the government pledges to invest millions in bus services and the cost-of-living crisis sees consumers switch to the bus as a cost-saving option. Papercast® displays already provide real-time passenger information in locations across the UK and Ireland, including Aberdeenshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Dublin, Gloucestershire and London.

There is increasing evidence that e-paper is becoming the de-facto technology for applications where transport providers need to get dynamic or real-time information to customers in a sustainable manner, and at locations where grid power is not readily available. Together with its partner Pindar Creative, the experts in sustainable travel maps and passenger information, Papercast shares some of its most recent UK projects.

Aberdeenshire’s state-of-the-art green bus shelters

The Ellon Park and Ride underwent a £1.4 million overhaul to include new state-of-the-art bus shelters featuring an array of pioneering, low-energy green technology and will serve as a benchmark for future transport facilities.

Each shelter includes a 23″ display providing passengers with real-time information, and a 42″ display showing schedule information.

Papercast displays were installed by Pindar Creative just days before Storm Arwen hit, leaving large swathes of north-east Scotland without power, attesting that Aberdeenshire Council made the right choice in opting for ‘off-grid’ power in the form of long-life batteries – enabling the screens to continue operating during power outages.

The project has been featured in two recent publications:

• Open Access Government (view full publication)
• Scottish Local Authority News (view full publication)

Gloucestershire switches from paper to e-paper

Papercast’s solar powered 13.3” triple e-paper display has been installed by Pindar Creative in Thornbury, Gloucestershire. It is part of a pilot project that could lead to the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) replacing static paper timetables across rural locations within the region.

At the time of installation, the display showed a stop specific spider map and timetables for all services operating from the stop, along with promotional fillers. The unit will be updated to include real-time information for each bus service.

WECA selected Papercast e-paper technology as it offers a low energy / low cost solution and can be easily installed with minimal disruption – completely standalone there are no digging or street works required to get power to the displays. The opportunity was awarded to Pindar Creative following the successful travel guide project.

Public sector bodies can pilot and purchase e-paper displays from Pindar Creative via the G-Cloud Digital Marketplace.

“We are really excited about the opportunities this can offer our customers. Not only can we provide a cost-effective and robust system to deliver real-time and static information to the travelling public, a key element for the transport market is also the ability to provide instant disruption information, which the Papercast Content Management System offers,” says Carl Thomas, Managing Director, Pindar Creative. “We’re delighted to have been approved as a supplier yet again to the G-Cloud framework, making it easier than ever for public authorities to pilot and purchase e-paper displays.”

With industry leading power efficiency, Papercast displays use no power at all to display an image and only a little power to change an image, making e-paper one of the lowest power display technologies in the world.

Papercast outdoor e-paper displays are supplied in a ruggedized IK09 and IP67 enclosure to provide strong environmental and impact resistance. Toughened glazing is made of high quality laminated glass to provide the best optical properties and physical protection. The outdoor e-paper range has wireless, battery and solar capabilities as standard.

ABOUT PINDAR CREATIVE

As a leading expert in the promotion of active and sustainable travel, Pindar Creative has been producing accurate, high-quality and time-sensitive travel information for many years. We work in partnership with a wide range of clients including PTE’s, local and combined authorities, bus and rail operators, universities and colleges, schools, the NHS, and corporate businesses.

As well as offering cartography, wayfinding, roadside displays, bus and rail timetables, onward travel information and responsive interactive mapping websites, we have developed a number of innovative solutions that enable our clients to partially, or fully automate the production of their travel information publicity.