New Digital Customer Information Signage Informing Every Journey

A new digital customer information signage solution from L.B. Foster has now been successfully deployed at more than 50 locations across the UK rail network.

Inform by L.B. Foster is an innovative suite of hardware and software applications that is providing up-to-the-minute disruption information to millions of passengers at some of the country’s busiest transport hubs, including King’s Cross, London Euston, Leeds and Birmingham New Street stations.

Inform’s range of mobile, wireless totems and wall-mounted screens deliver real-time journey information via L.B. Foster’s unique Inform Media suite of software applications, including British Sign Language, Wayfinding and Darwin feeds.

Shakeel Mohammed, Shift Station Manager, Birmingham New Street station, says: “We have 17 Inform totems and eight fixed screens located throughout the station concourse. These have helped us to enhance the passenger experience across the whole journey.

“In the past we had large queues in the atriums during travel disruption because passengers were waiting to speak to our customer service team, but now we use the totems to deliver real-time travel information.”

In a UK rail first, Network Rail has partnered with L.B. Foster to launch in-screen British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters on 20 fixed and mobile Inform digital customer information displays at London Euston station.

British Sign Language is the preferred language of over 87,000 deaf people in the UK. L.B. Foster teamed up with Clarion UK, a leading provider of BSL interpreters, to develop a library of generic video content that is available for call-off as required by Network Rail, using L.B. Foster’s Inform Media Content Management System. In addition, unique video content, such as disruption messages or service updates, can be made live within an hour of an event.

Graham Kett, Technical Manager at L.B. Foster, explains: “As a project team, we have developed a sophisticated digital passenger information display that features content created specifically for our deaf community. We are able to respond quickly to operating conditions and upload tailored BSL content to complement on screen messaging.

“L.B. Foster has a long history of working successfully with Network Rail, including customer information systems for the London Olympics. Our Inform range of mobile totems and fixed screens, powered by L.B. Foster’s Inform Media operating system, now features prominently across the UK rail network, providing passengers with timely travel information updates, as well as wayfinding and route details.”

L.B. Foster engineers continue to enhance the functionality of the Inform totems, with a new interactive Wayfinder app soon to be launched, as well as multi-language capabilities.

Find out more about L.B. Foster’s Inform range of hardware and software solutions; register to attend ‘Welcome to the Future of Digital Customer Information’ breakfast semiar on 24 March at The Railway Industry Association. Scan the QR code for more information.

www.lbfoster.eu

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Editors notes

LB Foster delivers world-class engineering solutions in rail, energy and industrial automation.

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