LocalGov Bus Data Module Brings UK Transport Data Integration to Drupal

LocalGov Bus Data, a new Drupal module, enables UK councils to integrate national bus service information directly into their websites using structured data pipelines and entity-based modelling. The module was delivered by The Confident for Cumberland Council. It has been released under the LocalGov Drupal initiative and is available on Drupal.org as an alpha release. Mark Conroy shared details of the module in a blog post.

The module imports timetable data from the UK Department for Transport’s Bus Open Data Service using bulk GTFS feeds, enriches stop-level information with NaPTAN datasets and exposes the results as Drupal entities and Views. This allows councils to publish structured information on routes, stops, timetables and service patterns within their own platforms without relying on external transport interfaces.

Compatible with Drupal 10.2 and 11, the module introduces a configurable import pipeline that supports both incremental and full data synchronisation. Scheduled imports run through Drupal cron, with daily incremental updates and periodic full reimports to maintain data consistency. The system filters national datasets to local authority boundaries and removes out-of-scope records while preserving cross-boundary routes where relevant.

Public-facing features include route listings, timetable grids, stop search and mapping interfaces built using Views and Leaflet integrations. An optional submodule provides a dedicated landing page with search tools and locality-based navigation, enabling councils to present transport data in a consistent and accessible format aligned with LocalGov Drupal design patterns.

The module also introduces administrative tools for managing imports, configuration and data structures, with entities representing routes, stops, trips and schedules. Developers can extend or customise these structures, while local development is supported through seed data commands that simulate realistic transport datasets without requiring live imports.

The project follows a “build to share” model, funded by Cumberland Council, where initial discovery, research and validation of requirements were led by the council team, including Craig Barker, Kate Hurr and Shazia Attia. Development was carried out by James McGrath, and the module has been released for wider use across the LocalGov Drupal ecosystem.

The release reflects ongoing efforts within local government to standardise digital service delivery through reusable open-source components, particularly in areas where national datasets can be integrated into local platforms with minimal duplication of effort.