Route 372: two stops have same sms code

Unified API
1

Hi,
someone can have a look at this please?

For route 372 towards Lakeside

stop “Hall Avenue” (1590003601) and “The Thurrock Hotel” (1590701201) have the same sms code 57392

Thank you

2

@nakkore

Ditto answer, SMS codes are depreciated.

3

At least one app that I am aware of uses the SMS code as the key so if it is deprecated what is the recommended alternative in general and in the context of whatever stream they are using? (I’m not an expert on said app.)

If you look for departures from either stop on the TfL website itself you get the next 372, then underneath a note to say that the stop has been removed from the route so no timetable can be shown. A little bit of left hand and right hand here, though I appreciate that this might have revealed a short-lived inconsistency which will soon disappear. The sharing of an SMS code is almost incidental to this, I would think.

It would seem strange for two adjacent stops to be removed unless there is a permanent rerouteing or long term diversion in place.

Michael

4

@mjcarchive

There is a unique code for every bus stop in the UK, the National Public Transport Access Nodes (NaPTAN) code.

https://data.gov.uk/dataset/ff93ffc1-6656-47d8-9155-85ea0b8f2251/national-public-transport-access-nodes-naptan

5

Hi @nakkore

This seems like an issue with the source data. We have contacted our colleague in Surface Transport to investigate.

Thanks,
James

6

Hi @mjcarchive

We have some issues with timetable lookups on some routes. We aim to resolve this today.

I’ll let you know once we have an update.

Thanks,
James

7

Brian

Yes, that one should be unique. Either it is not in the feed that the app in question uses or SMS code was chosen because it’s a lot shorter!

The third stop ID in use (it is the only one visible in the working timetables, for example) can be either numeric or alphanumeric, for example BP6040. I think this is also unique, or at least unique at any one time. Timing points on the working timetables have alpha codes but most bus stops are not timing points in that sense.

The apparent disconnect between the arrivals data and the list of stops supposedly served is probably a quite different issue which this duplication just happens to have exposed. I think it has to be accepted that different inputs may be out of kilter for a short time but the question is whether it is more than that.

Michael

8

@mjcarchive Thanks, very useful.