Blind charity shares concern for public transport access in Cambridgeshire
They're calling for better accessibility for those with sight loss
A Cambridgeshire woman who's partially blind says more must be done to improve public transport for people with sight loss.
Stagecoach East is one company to hear issues faced with more than three-quarters of people nervous to travel to unfamiliar places, according to research from the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB).
Groups such as Camsight have met with the bus operator to highlight some of the problems that blind and partially sighted people come across on bus services, such as access and safety.
Belinda Yare is the president of the Huntingdonshire Society for the Blind - she lost part of her sight four years ago:
"It's quite challenging when you're not familiar with a route and where it is you're going to be stopping.
"You're heavily relying on information that's not always accessible to you.
"Some areas have got it right, some bus companies have got it right but it's not equal across the board and I think all of the companies need to be encouraged, maybe given funding, to make their services more accessible."
More than half find it hard to plan unfamiliar journeys - RNIB
The research from the RNIB found more than half of blind and partially sighted people find it hard to plan journeys on public transport that are unfamiliar to them.
It also found 42% of people need support on familiar journeys all the time and 71% on unfamiliar journeys.
Inaccessibility was one of the main issues raised by the RNIB, and it's called for solutions including more training for staff on awareness of disability issues, fit-for-purpose audio announcements and priority seating.
'We already do a huge amount of good work'
Ian de Chastelain, training manager of Stagecoach East, said: “I firmly believe that we already do a huge amount of good work in how we welcome people with sight loss onto our services.
"Our drivers and the whole team are proud to serve our local communities, and work very hard to do so.
“However, we should always be prepared to listen because there will always be things to learn, and there are certainly some very important messages that I will take away from this discussion.”
"Better accessibility would help enrich my life"
Belinda told Greatest Hits Radio she's been left confused when travelling by bus in Cambridgeshire, such as when planning her journey and while on board.
But she thinks if more people who have or haven't got sight loss use the bus, there may be more focus on improving the passenger experience.
"Audio announcements on board make it a lot easier, but if the bus is old it doesn't have those announcements, and you're having to guess where your stop is or rely on other people and that's not always safe," she said.
"If they can improve the accessibility, more people will use the buses and it will help enrich my life and help to prevent me from becoming isolated."
More than £4 million for bus companies - government
The Department for Transport (DfT) said in March, it would introduce new rules where nearly all local bus or coach services would have to provide audible announcements and visual displays, identifying the route and direction, each upcoming stop, and the beginning of any diversions.
It is also planning to invest £4.65 million in funding for small bus and coach companies, with changes to be implemented gradually and almost all vehicles will need to comply with the rules by October 2026.
A DfT spokesperson said: “Everyone should be able to travel safely and confidently.
"We're introducing new rules to improve on-board information on local services across Great Britain, building on existing requirements that make it easier for everyone to use buses.”