The public bus services in Luxembourg City are to become more efficient and customer-friendly. This will be achieved through a new operations control system, which is currently being installed in the capital's buses and will allow passengers to see, among other things, when the next bus is expected to arrive or depart.

“Public transport will become more efficient and attractive which will allow bus passengers to really benefit from this new system” said Mayor Paul Helminger at last Thursday’s launch of the new traffic management system entitled "Intermodal Transport Control System (ITCS).

The ITCS will be installed in three stages. Phase one consisted of replacing the anaolg radio systems with digital ones. Phase two, now almost complete, consists of installing board computers and display panels that show the arrival/departure times in over 200 AVL buses. They have also set up the new control centre in Hollerich. These techniques are used mainly for a better operating system. They will allow travellers to be informed about possible delays or diversions which will be calculated through the new system. These new digital billboards on the buses will show passengers what the next stop is, where to get off for connecting buses and how many minutes it will take to reach their destination.

64 display panels in the city area

The third phase, which will start in April this year and is expected to be finished in September, includes the construction of electronic display boards, which are to be constructed at bus stops throughout the city. Passengers will be informed of the bus departure times, indicated in minutes, and their destination. 64 of these panels are to be built throughout the city, the first of which will be in late April or early May at the P & R Bouillon, the central Gare station and the centre Hamilius.

In addition to this, a new light signals system (LSA) is being established. This will allow certain traffic lights to switch to green for buses allowing them to get to their destinations faster.
The new system will cost five million euros - excluding VAT.