Bus users in St Albans will be able to get clearer information on the city’s buses from Monday 31 October when a simple new integrated bus map is launched.

The new colour-coded map provides simple, clear and understandable information for existing bus passengers and will help attract new users to the bus network. The map, which has been produced by the Network St Albans partnership, covers the city’s ‘Pinks’ bus network and uses colour-coded routes to help bus users find their way around the new integrated network.

The ‘Pinks’ bus network was launched earlier in the year by Network St Albans, a local transport partnership which brings together the key transport providers in the district. Made up of organisations including local bus and train operators, St Albans City and District Council, Hertfordshire County Council and the University of Hertfordshire, Network St Albans aims to provide public transport that is comfortable, inviting, convenient and easy to use.

Stephen Joseph, Chair of Network St Albans and chief executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said: “People said lack of information was a barrier to using public transport and that they didn’t use the bus because they didn’t know where it went. This new map will go some way to addressing this problem and aims to encourage more people to choose to travel by bus. This map is just one of a series of major improvements to public transport in St Albans in the coming months.”

Network St Albans is working on other measures to improve public transport journeys including the introduction of a multi-operator ticket. The enhancements in the town through Network St Albans are in conjunction with a range of county-wide developments by Intalink, which include stop-specific timetables, real-time information and the recent launch of a mobile phone App for bus travel.

There are also plans to introduce further maps for individual bus routes that include named stops and for the key interchanges at St Peter’s Street and the City Station.