Agency welcomes push for more online local services

From the archive, first published Tuesday 31st Jan 2006.

A government campaign to encourage more people to use council services online has been welcomed by a Brighton-based web development and online marketing agency.

NVisage in Middle Street is a pioneer of e-services for the public sector. Clients include the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and the National Lottery Commission.

The push to promote the internet as a means of accessing information coincides with the relaunch of NVisage's community transport information system www.a2binfo.net
The web site acts as a sort of "control tower" for people who provide or want access to community transport such as wheelchair users, the elderly or those in rural areas. It has been designed with accessibility in mind.

Mr Madgin said: "People with disabilities spend something like £6 billion a year ñ so you ignore them at your peril. We have transferred knowledge gained in the commercial sector to the public sector.

"Another thing you realise is that making things accessible does not always have to be very difficult ñ it could just mean having the facility to scale words up to a bigger text."

So far a2b has been taken up by ten local authorities across the UK and, according to NVisage marketing director Paul Madgin, more are expected to jump aboard this year.

Transport schemes covered on a2b include door-to-door minibus operators, group hire minibuses and social car schemes where volunteers use their own cars.

Users can access up-to-the-minute information on their local transport provider 24 hours a day, including geographical coverage, staffing levels and capacities.

The site helps providers and local authorities identify demand for services. It also allows service providers to update their online information at a local level and download timetable and poster templates to supply additional information to users quickly.

NVisage production director Clinton Porter said: "The ability to predict demand and tailor services accordingly is also proving to be a key feature for providers and local authorities."

NVisage was established in 1997 and now employs ten people. It has a number of big-name clients such as publishers Emap and the London Symphony Orchestra.

It is a key player in other e-government initiatives including the ODPM's National Change Agency for Social Housing web site, which acts as a marketplace and forum for developers and housing associations.

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

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