A blind woman from Norfolk says challenge of using buses is affecting her quality of life
The Government is putting nearly £5 million into helping disabled people use buses with greater ease
A blind woman from Norfolk is telling us that the challenges she faces when using buses are affecting her quality of life.
It's after the Government announced it's making £5 million available to help disabled people use buses easier - by rolling out new audible and visual announcements.
The money from the 'Accessible Information Grant' would be going towards installing new state of the art tech like screens, speakers and induction loops, with the aim of this being to ensure that are told passengers about what route they're on and what stops are on their journey.
"I don't know every twist and turn of the bus - I don't have magic ears"
Rachael Andrews lives in Thorpe St Andrews and uses a guide dog:
"First of all I have to go and find the bus stop itself, which I would learn as a guide dog user with my dog, but if I were a stick-user I would have to learn this with somebody to find it.
"It's also not always obvious where the shelters are, as they can just be poles in the ground.
"When I get on, I've got to find where to scan my passes, and I've often smashed my knuckles on the glass, trying to find that. Sometimes the driver doesn't say anything and let me know where they are.
"Even with familiar routes, I don't know every twist and turn of the bus. I don't have magic ears, so it's quite daunting to travel independently on a bus.
"Therefore this system is going to be fantastic for me."
"I can't be sure that the bus is going where I think it's going"
She told us more about her experience: "I would like to go to the coast and nature reserves, but I can't be sure that the bus is going where I think it's going, or where to get off and on.
"I have talking GPS that tells me where I am, but that's not always accurate and if a bus is diverted it all comes tumbling down. Plus sometimes my signal drops out or my battery runs out."
The background:
The grant applications support regulations which were introduced last year requiring all bus operators to provide audio and visual updates on journeys.
It also follow £350 million announced last year to improve accessibility at train stations thanks to reallocated HS2 funding.
By 2026 October, almost all vehicles are required to give audio and visual announcements to it's passengers.
"Push to give operators the tools to upgrade their buses on time"
Guy Opperman, Minister for Accessibility and Ministerial Disability Champion at the Department for Transport, said:
“Buses are the most used form of public transport in the country, and for people who are disabled they may be the only way to meet friends and family, attend medical appointments or get to work.
“I can only imagine how daunting it must be to get on a bus and not know for certain where it’s going or when to get off, which is why we introduced new rules to ensure all buses provide this information in an accessible way. This £4.65 million is the extra push to give operators the tools to upgrade their buses on time and ensure all passengers can board with confidence.”
Last year, regulations were introduced requiring all bus operators throughout Great Britain to provide high quality and accessible announcements across their networks to ensure disabled people are not left in the dark when it comes to using our public transport. By supporting smaller bus companies, this funding will help ensure that all operators are able to meet that October 2026 deadline.
"A significant step forward"
Pete Osborne, Deputy CEO at Guide Dogs said:
“Accessible buses can unlock opportunities to get around independently, whether that’s to travel to work, go shopping or see friends. But for many people with sight loss, bus travel has been difficult or impossible because of a lack of audio next stop and final destination announcements.
"After years of campaigning, we were delighted with the new regulations announcement last year and we greatly welcome the opening of these grants. AV announcements on buses will be a significant step forward in creating a more inclusive and accessible transport network, helping people live the lives they choose.”