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25 Sep 08Poole is Top of the Stops
A bus stop in Poole has been given the golden touch after being named the most popular in the UK with passengers using a new text message bus timetable service.
Passengers using the bus stop in Arne Avenue 
, Parkstone, Poole sent over 1,000 text messages to the 'Text for Bus Times' service, a new scheme which allows people to access accurate bus times via their mobile phone, according to results published by Traveline .
Poole was the first in the region to launch the new text service last summer, which enables passengers to access the latest bus times on their mobile phones from anywhere and at anytime.
The scheme has proved so successful that it has now been adopted across Bournemouth and Christchurch.
To thank all those residents using the service at the golden bus stop, Borough of Poole will install a new bus shelter there later this year.
Users can text the seven-letter location code, clearly displayed on every bus stop in Poole, to 84268. The system uses satellite technology to locate the next bus and within seconds the user is sent a text message telling them in minutes exactly when the next bus is due.
The service makes using buses more convenient than ever before and since it's launch 27000 texts have been sent from Poole in the first 12 months.
Nick Phillips, Accessibility Team Leader, Borough of Poole, said: "We are delighted that Poole residents are leading the way with this innovative use of technology. The system makes buses an easier and more convenient option for every day travel. We hope the success of this first year will encourage more people to give it a go."
Your Chance to Win
'Text For Bus Times' allows you to check how the buses are running before leaving home, work or even the pub! This means you can cut out the wait at the bus stop and turn up just in time. We want you to tell us what you like doing in the time saved waiting for the bus and you could win a Wilts and Dorset 90 day Saver ticket worth £142 giving free travel in Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch. Ten runner-up prizes include personalised glow in the dark 'Text For Bus Times' signs complete with your name and code of your local stop.
Please send your entry to Nick Phillips, Transportation Services, Borough of Poole, St John's House, 1 Serpentine Road, Poole, BH15 2DX and include your answer, name, address, contact telephone number and if under 18, your age by 10th October 2008.
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