QRoutes

QPaths

QPaths calculates the shortest walking routes between multiple origins and destinations. The user can also tell QPaths which roads or paths should be avoided in the calculation.

QPaths is particularly useful for local authorities performing school admission and/or school transport eligibility checks.

Features

• Fast, automated calculation of walking routes & distances
• Calculation of many routes & distances in batch mode
• Accurate and up-to-date calculation using Ordnance Survey data
• Mark path and road segments as unsuitable for walking
• Map-based interface showing calculated routes
• Ability to set either/or destinations, e.g. multiple school gates
• View any point on a path using Google Street View
• Address validation using Ordnance Survey's Address Base
• Automated catchment area check
• Automated calculation of school transport eligibility

Benefits

• Produces highly accurate results - better than Google Maps
• Produces consistent results - because they are so accurate
• Stores path and road segments deemed not safe for walking
• Batch processing significantly reduces human processing time
• Reduces the number of people eligible for transport, saving money
• Setting multiple school gates further reduces entitlement
• Combines both distance and catchment area checks
• Informs the business case for infrastructure improvements
• Speeds up the response to client queries
• Speeds up the response to appeals

£10,750 to £12,950 a licence a year

• Education pricing available
• Free trial available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at david.stewart@qroutes.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 13

Service ID

354492222424039

Contact

David Stewart
0117 3329499
david.stewart@qroutes.co.uk

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Private cloud
• Service constraints: Older browsers, e.g. Internet Explorer, which can't support the latest data in transit protection (TLS 1.2 and above) are not supported.
• System requirements:
  • A web browser supporting security standard TLS 1.2 or above
  • A program to view and edit CSV files (e.g. Excel)

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: The user can contact support via the in-application help (including via chat when agents are available). Tickets can also be raised by email to support@qroutes.co.uk or at qroutes.zendesk.com.; ; QRoutes will reply to all emails and tickets within 1 normal working day.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: QRoutes prides itself in working closely with customers. The subscription price includes example processing of the customer's data, tailored training for all users and unlimited online support.; ; Each customer is provided with a technical account manager and a support manager.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Training is typically provided online (although onsite can be arranged) using wherever possible, the customer's own data. QPaths is a relatively straightforward product and most users find it intuitive and easy to use. It also has user documentation built into the application.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats: HTML
• End-of-contract data extraction: The application does not retain any customer data with respect to walking route or other eligibility calculations. The customer uploads their data, processes it and downloads the output.; ; The application does store which path and road segments have been marked as unsuitable for walking. These can be downloaded at any time in a CSV file of unique Ordnance Survey identifiers.; ; The application also stores any catchment area polygons uploaded by the customer. These can be exported in a standard format at any time.
• End-of-contract process: The customer simply decides whether to re-subcribe or not. There is no tie-in of any sort.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Description of service interface: QPaths provides a GIS-based user interface through a web browser. There is a map view with the user being able to control what is shown with respect to the students whose transport eligibility is under question. ; ; There is also an API interface.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Accessibility testing: We seek feedback from all users on the usability of the interface during training, workshops, and user conferences. We also have a feedback box on log-out for users to leave comments. ; ; The user can customise the visual view to suit their preference, e.g. from choosing a greyscale map view through to a full colour version.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: Users first create a log-in account on the cloud software. They then use those same authentication details to begin a session via the API. The core batch calculation of exact walking route distances (according to Ordnance Survey) is provided. In each case the walking distance is the minimum walking distance avoiding any path or road segments identified by the customer as unsuitable in the cloud software GUI.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: PDF
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Users can mark segments of paths or roads as unsuitable for walking by clicking on them on the map view. Subsequent walking route calculations and transport eligibility assessments will not use these unsuitable sections. ; ; Note unsuitable segments are set at the account level, i.e. they are common across all users from the same customer organisation, including any API calls.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: QPaths has a scalable hosting architecture, whereby multiple servers are available for back-end computations if required. Customer processing requests are allocated to free resource, meaning no one customer's usage affects another.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Up to Security Clearance (SC)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom
• User control over data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 3.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest: Physical access control, complying with another standard
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type: Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
• Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users download their processed data directly from the application as CSV files.
• Data export formats: CSV
• Data import formats: CSV

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network: IPsec or TLS VPN gateway

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: QRoutes uses commercially reasonable endeavours to make its services available to users at qroutes.co.uk 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for planned maintenance carried out between 10.00 pm to 2.00 am UK time.
• Approach to resilience: QRoutes' services are hosted by iomart (https://www.iomart.com). Each application is backed up at two of iomart’s UK datacentres. QRoutes has one or more application servers at each datacentre, each of which can be used for another server’s disaster recovery.; ; QRoutes will establish the severity and impact of any outage within 15 minutes and troubleshoot the cause within 30 minutes. Normal service will be resumed within 60 minutes.
• Outage reporting: QRoutes notifies all its users by email of any scheduled service down time 1 week, and again at 1 day, prior to the down time. ; ; QRoutes emails users as soon as there is any unexpected outage and keeps users updated with the reasons for the outage and the likely time for resumption of service thereafter.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication: Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Access to all user accounts is controlled by username and password. Users must all use an email address from their organisation's domain. ; ; There are two levels of customer user: User and Administrator. Only an Administrator can view the audit history logs of usage. ; ; Passwords must be at least eight characters long; not contain the user name, real name, or company name and contain characters from at least three of: Uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numerals, symbols.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: Between 6 months and 12 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: Between 6 months and 12 months
• How long system logs are stored for: At least 12 months

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: ISOQAR
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 31/07/2017
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: The iomart Statement of Applicability (SOA) defines how iomart implement Information Security. This details what is in scope and out of scope in relation to ISO27001. This document is iomart company confidential but can be provided under NDA for auditing purposes.
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Other security certifications: No

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: ISO/IEC 27001
• Information security policies and processes: QRoutes' services are hosted by iomart (https://www.iomart.com); ; The iomart Information Security Management System (ISMS) determines and outlines how iomart organises and manages the company’s information security in relation to internal information systems, operation and support including the provision of complex managed and cloud computing services for customer. The verifying body is ISOQAR.; ; iomart is also accredited as Cyber Essentials. Its business ICT defenses have been assessed as satisfactorily protected against commodity cyber threats, i.e. attacks using identified capabilities and techniques freely available on the internet. The verifying body is Indelible data.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Configuration and change management approach: Software updates are evaluated on a test server hosted by the same data centre company as the live servers. Change requests are processed in the support site (https://www.qroutes.zendesk.com) and the corresponding workflow, along with new feature development, is managed in JIRA. ; ; New versions are triple-blind tested manually for functionality, usability and security before their release to the live servers. An automated test suite is also run prior to deployment on the test server and after deployment on the live servers. It contains functional, regression, performance and stress tests.
• Vulnerability management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: The iomart vulnerability management process is aligned with ISO27001:2013 control A12.6.1 which addresses 3 key areas:; Timely identification of vulnerabilities; Assessment of or exposure to a vulnerability; Defined measures to address the risk.; ; QRoutes also runs regular externally sourced penetration testing of its applications.
• Protective monitoring type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: Iomart Protective Monitoring process is aligned with ISO27001:2013 control A.12.4 which details: Event Logging; Protection of log information; Admin & operator logs; Clock synchronisation; Incident Management. ; ; QRoutes operational staff also monitor account log-in attempts and usage for abnormal activity on a daily basis.
• Incident management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v3.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Incident management approach: Iomart incident management process is aligned with ISO27001:2013 control A.16.1 which details: The full incident management procedure; Responsibilities & procedures; Assessment of and decision on security events; Response process; Evidence collection; Learning from incidents. ; ; QRoutes reviews any incidents at its monthly management and board meetings.

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Social Value

• Fighting climate change:

  Fighting climate change

  QPaths highlights where and how local authorities can save money and reduce carbon emissions on transport provision in the long term by improving safe active travel access to schools, health care and social care.
• Covid-19 recovery:

  Covid-19 recovery

  Not applicable
• Tackling economic inequality:

  Tackling economic inequality

  Not applicable
• Equal opportunity:

  Equal opportunity

  Not applicable
• Wellbeing:

  Wellbeing

  QPaths highlights where and how local authorities can save money and reduce carbon emissions on transport provision in the long term by improving safe active travel access to schools, health care and social care. Improved active travel infrastructure ultimately benefits the whole community.

Pricing

• Price: £10,750 to £12,950 a licence a year
• Discount for educational organisations: Yes
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: QPaths will be provided to interested organisations free of charge for one week (longer periods are possible upon request). ; ; The free version of the service will be limited to calculating walking routes to a single destination e.g. one school.
• Link to free trial: Please contact info@qroutes.co.uk for a free trial account.

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at david.stewart@qroutes.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.