Open data – more than just transparency and scrutiny | Public Leaders Network | Guardian Professional

"The largest volume of open, free, high quality weather data in the world was released on 29 November, as part of the chancellor's autumn statement. So too was house price data at address level, allowing entrepreneurs to develop useful applications for businesses and consumers. Just as ground-breaking is news that the Department for Transport has been working with Network Rail and the transport industry to make real-time running data available from April 2012. The DfT will also work with Traveline to release the Next Buses API of planned and real-time information at 350,000 GB bus stops, in April 2012. A further exciting piece of news is the launch of the Open Data Institute, which will exploit and research open data opportunities with business and academia. It will be based in Shoreditch and co-directed by Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Professor Nigel Shadbolt (more on that in mid-December, when Nigel will be contributing to this blog)...."