Hi all, I’ve reported this via the BODS discord but I am aware that some others may wish to know the details.
All SCLK services (bar 923 & M91) are showing publicuse=false. The 9140 service is actually a 914 too so Citylink need to look into that one. Missing the Blackpool 618 service. Given most Citylink routes are registered, it may be helpful if anyone is matching to OTC regs if Citylink included the OTC registration number in the file rather than having the service code using the UZ unregistered code.
Flixbus routes still have issues with stops not linking properly as KPMG just pluck ATCO numbers out of thin air. Ie on the UK023 Manchester Moss Lane is stop 1800SB31391 southbound (to Bristol/London) and 1800SB31281 northbound (towards Manchester), there is no reason for these to be using custom 900 numbers. On the UK049/UKN49, Newquay Bus Station is 0800COA15390.
All routes that run up through Finchley Road are having issues with KPMG linking to Finchley Road stop ‘FL’ when they should be using ‘CL’ for northbound services.
Stops in Middlesbrough (affecting N10, X010 and 073) are all incorrect. KMPG have linked to ‘stand 11’ rather than the appropriately named ‘express lounge stand 30’, and the N10 (despite Flixbus poor advertising and KPMG being unaware) actually stops at Stand Z because the bus station closes at night.
Any route which serves a different stop in each direction is not being reflected properly (ie Nottingham University, Aviemore, Pitlochry etc), these places all show as having the same stop code in both directions.
I am sure I can find many more errors if I looked hard enough.
National Express on routes 104/106/406/504/G5 need the stop code at Newquay Bus Station updating to be 0800COA15390. Routes ER7 and ER8 need the stop at Salisbury Station to use one of the 2 stops in the station forecourt. The stop descriptor is ‘Salisbury Rail Station Rail Stn Forecourt Sout’ but the coordinates are nowhere near here, and given there are 2 naptan codes for stops within the station forecourt, these should be being used. Silverstone event services should be showing as using naptan code 300000316CP rather than using a custom stop.
New Bharat services still has a typo in the inbound/outbound descriptions and they have silly tags which are set up as [stop name], [locality]. Who on earth refers to a place as ‘Priory Way / Southall, Norwood Green’?
Hannon Coaches Belfast-Glasgow is completely missing
Thandi Executive Coaches Willenhall/Birmingham/Coventry to London Southall service is missing
Thandi Express (known locally as Thandi Red) from Birmingham to London Barking via Coventry, Leicester and Luton is missing
Berrys Superfast from West country - London is listed under normal BODS and not under coach data despite the service being long distance operated by coaches.
KPMG want international coaches including but no information on Sindbad, Regiojet or Bla Bla Car.
Thanks for sharing your findings. I’d appreciate if you could reply to this thread if you receive any responses or resolutions to any of the noted issues.
We raised these issues and others around NCSD at the Operator Digital Initiative (OpDI) meeting yesterday. The group recognises the importance of getting the data working correctly for consumers and customers. Attendees include bus operators, DfT, KPMG, CPT and OTC.
A series of meetings/conversations between the parties, including coach operators, will now follow, with the objective of setting out a plan to improve data quality. This is considered a priority item by OpDI.
Just to keep everyone updated, all of these issues remain despite being reported 3 weeks ago. As of yesterdays NCSD update though, most National Express routes have gone missing, Flixbus UK090 has gone missing
I don’t know how KPMG are getting away with such shoddy quality. Basemap worked this stuff perfectly and it’s been a disaster since KPMG took over. Perhaps it should be called ‘Some semi correct coach services data’ because it’s far from covering all national services and half of the data is incorrect.
KPMG have been ignoring issues on the Discord so who knows if/when this will all be fixed. What a colossal mess.
To give an update for everyone. A few months on and not a lot has changed sadly.
National Express now have issues in Swindon where they haven’t moved their stop codes to their new stops on Fleming Way (Swindon Bus Station has closed). KPMG have reported this ot National Express however my guess is this won’t be resolved, same as other issues reported.
Flixbus stop issues mentioned above are still there. They now also have no inbound/outbound split anymore. This has been raised with Flixbus themselves so they are aware of it but not sure on any plans to fix it. On the plus side some of the Flixbus route descriptions have been fixed
Megabus M11 file is missing. M19 still shows in the zip file with no end date despite ceasing to exist from 4th July (per Megabus own service updates).
Scottish Citylink still showing almost all routes as ‘publicuse’ false.
New Bharat still has weird descriptions.
Hannon, Thandi Express, Thandi Executive, Flibco International coaches are all still missing. Berry Superfast remains on BODS over NCSD.
We seem to be stuck in a spiral of decline with no way out. Operators aren’t buying in (The coach industry as a whole does seem to have a stance lately of not caring about anyone or anything as I’ve flagged issues with the operators own websites and they aren’t fixing them either) and it’s now just a database full of issues. Not a single operator in NCSD has decent, usable data.
We understand, from an update to the OpDI meeting this week, that the DfT is examining long term requirements for the NCSD but also seeking to agree short term improvements, which could include a data consumer engagement group or similar
I’m glad to hear that the DfT is looking into some things for NCSD. I think it’s a shame that none of this was thought about before moving the service between contractors.
Yes, it is a shame that more of a handover wasn’t taken into consideration…. I would love to provide feedback on the service, but I am seemingly seen as a disgruntled ex. Not as someone that ran this dataset since 2011 and actually cared for the quality of the output.
Sadly the number of issues in NCSD are growing again. Every time one problem is fixed, a new one seems to be created. Whoever is sending data from these operators needs to be held accountable for their poor work. What is the point in NCSD if it’s just going to keep pumping out more and more unreliable data?
The weeks issues as of the 24th November refresh:
National Express:
For services 104, 106, 404, 406, and 504 the stop in Penzance is incorrect.
104/106/406/504 at Newquay still link to the wrong stop (should be 0800COA15390).
All routes which stop at Marble Arch (a lot of them), still link to the wrong stop (should be 490015205S)
Route 206 has been removed despite the route not actually ceasing to operate for another week and a half.
Route 455 still has it’s descriptions as ‘unknown’
All of the 8xx christmas day services have now disappeared. All of the event service files are for dates in the past.
Flixbus:
UK990 still has references to ‘no longer planned’ and ‘Southampton’ but the service runs Cambridge - Swindon.
A number of issues too with various routes showing as serving the wrong stops.
Citylink:
926 & M9 have the wrong ‘publicuse’
All routes have notes on saying ‘must be booked in advance’ but this is categorically untrue as they all permit walkups. Online booking is just advised.