Both “Coombe Road”, used on routes 202 & 356, and “Centre Common Road / War Memorial”, used by the 161 and others, are both currently claiming stop (sms) code 54943 in stop sequences.csv and stops.csv. Coombe Road is the rightful owner. The Countdown API is also presenting this wrong stop code on route 161 for “Centre Common Road / War Memorial”.
“Centre Common Road / War Memorial” was correctly set to 49430 in Feb. 2018.
In ‘Stop Sequences.csv’ dated 28th Feb 2021 it was being listed wrongly as 549430 and I can trace it back with this erroneous code to at least Nov. 2019!
In the ‘Stop Sequences.csv’ I’ve downloaded today, “Centre Common Road / War Memorial” has lost the trailing zero to become 54930.
@jamesevans, can you direct this to someone who can resolve it please?
Could you ask them to look into the following too please?
TfL_SMS Naptan Stop name
92342 92342 VICTORIA STATION <> # (Routes 44, C1 & C10)
92342 72837 RUMBOLD ROAD (Routes 11/N11 & 22/N22)
72837 74837 BULLSMOOR LANE / GREAT CAMBRIDGE ROAD (Routes 217 & 317)
The Naptan stop code was obtained by looking up the ATCO stop code listed in TfL’s ‘bus-sequences.csv’ file and then searching the Naptan’s “stops” file for that ATCO code to get the Naptan code which I believe should match the TfL SMS code…
I think there’s about 80 more but I need to download a fresh copy of the Naptan stops file to double check.
Goodness knows whether anyone still uses text messages to get bus times but new stops (like the ones introduced yesterday for the new 456 route) are still being allocated SMS codes. Perhaps “the computer says no” if you don’t, so as to speak, give it one!
I’m not sure how the more casual user is supposed to know about deprecation as they are unlikely to wade through whatever documentation if is spelt out in.
Was it confirmed on here that the files (the sequences lists and the master stop list) have been deprecated? The stop sequence file can still be downloaded but I can’t recall how often it was meant to be updated? I downloaded it yesterday and again today and W10 renumbering to 456 isn’t included. The new stops on route 456 are re-using SMS stop codes from stops previously on route 384 (so I’m told). It would be useful to know how long TfL ‘quarantine’ old stop codes for before they are re-used.
The legacy Countdown feed uses those SMS stop codes which we in turn display alongside the stop name and also allow our users to search for them. With TfL re-using old codes and mis-coding existing stops it’s causing us to display wrong stop names.
Naptan produces a master stop list for the whole of the UK which has ATCO stop code, Naptan stop code, common name, short common name and coordinates (amongst other fields), The Naptan code is the user friendly short code which can be used to identify stops for text messaging or within apps/websites. I believe within the London/TfL area TfL’s SMS code and the Naptan code for each stop should match. I use the ATCO code to link the two across the files. N.B. On the TfL cross-border services, the stops have their regional Naptan code and a “shadow” TfL SMS code.
As I briefly mentioned in my message yesterday, using the Naptan file and the TfL stop list both from 2nd Feb. 2021 there were over 80 TfL only stops (i.e. those within London) where the Naptan and TfL SMS codes didn’t match which Is why I was hoping to download an up-to-date copy of the TfL files. (Naptan says it’s files “are updated at least daily”.)