Transport ‘revolution’ on way

A “REVOLUTIONARY” transport app which could make private car ownership obsolete in Scottish cities has been hailed at an event in Dundee.

NaviGoGo, based on a similar business model to video streaming sites such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, was co-designed by local youngsters to allow users to plan, book and pay for public transport.

The app allows pilot users to find information and travel prices on links such as single train journeys, weekly bus tickets, car clubs, bike clubs and cycling in Dundee and north-east Fife.

Other features include a tool to find the best deals and discounts and to calculate splitting the cost of taxi journeys with friends.

The app is based around the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) method, which aims to make public transport so convenient that people opt to give up their own privately-owned vehicles for city commuting.

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said: “For me, this is the next transport revolution. It’s happening right here, whether it’s autonomous vehicles, smart ticketing or contactless demandresponsive transport mobility as a service.

“All of this stuff is going to radically transform how we travel, and Dundee, as the City of Discovery, is right at the heart of it – and with the Year of Young People, it’s a great fit for a lot of the government’s objectives.

“The way people travel is going to be completely transformed over the next 10 or possibly 20 years.”