Online Tube Departure Boards

Some of you may have received an email today from Transport for London announcing the new online departure boards. The mail said "This latest travel tool gives live information about when the next three trains are due to arrive at your selected station. It is accessible through your computer or mobile phone, and can be used before you leave home or work, or whilst on the move, allowing you to plan your journey and save time."


I remember when these were tested a number of years ago, when they were only available for a few lines. In principle I quite like the idea (even though they open themselves up to some spoofing).


But I'm lucky enough to work only a few minutes walk from my Tube & it's very central station which virtually has a train running every three minutes anyway.

However, if you're a longer walk away or at a station that doesn't have the luxury of good information on the departure boards, how helpful are they.


Michelle W emailed me and said "When are they going to finally get the stations sorted out though? Since I moved down here nearly 3 years ago I have been commuting mainly between Newbury Park and Debden on the top of the Central line. There has been many new departures boards, none are used though!

It would be nice to finally have the boards like the one outside Debden working with useful info instead of just saying eastbound/westbound and being blank. Also it would be nice if they got the new platform ones working as well like at Hainult. You can't read the working old ones unless you're right underneath them because there's a new unused one hung right in front of it that's been blocking it for several years."

Do you think we need the physical ones working before TfL start working on virtual ones? It seems a bit ironic to be standing underneath a real platform indicator with nothing on it, yet if you had internet on your mobile phone, you'd be better informed.