Launch of new approved bus driver training

Sight Loss Councils and Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) have marked the end of ‘Catch the Bus Month‘, September 2024, with the launch of a new approved bus driver training materials for bus and coach drivers.

The training was designed to deliver best practice and customer service to blind or partially sighted (BPS) passengers.

The training, ‘Vision Impairment Awareness for Bus Drivers’, has the potential to impact all bus and coach drivers across the country. The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has approved the materials for its members. These make up 95 per cent of local bus services and 60 per cent of coach operators across the UK.

The Driver Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) also confirmed the content has met conditions for the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) training. This is completed by bus and coach drivers every five years.

BPS volunteers created the training using first hand, lived experience of bus travel and working with Brighton and Hove Buses. Lora Fachie OBE, a Paralympic Gold Medallist and former Sight Loss Council member, narrates the three training videos.

About the training

The training resource aims to build confidence and inform bus drivers on how to best support BPS customers.

Research by TPT shows 65 per cent of BPS people feel access to public transport is most important to them (Listening Month, 2022). In contrast, over half of people with a vision impairment say they find it difficult to navigate public transport facilities (V I Lives report 2022).

In the training videos, Sight Loss Council (SLC) volunteers explain how the bus driver is key to enable them to maintain their independence, and how they can make or break a journey.

SLC volunteer, Linn Davies, explains:

“Due to my vision impairment, I can’t really drive or cycle, so I rely heavily on buses to get around quickly. I use the buses to go to work, to go shopping, and for leisure and social activities. There aren’t really any train stations near where I live and taxis are expensive, so buses are really a lifeline.”

BPS people also explain how bus drivers can See and Stop, then Speak and Support.

Examples include:

• seeing BPS people at the bus stop and stopping because drivers know that if you cannot see a bus coming, you would not know to flag it down
• speaking to the BPS passenger, giving the bus number and destination
• offering support, such as locating a spare seat and announcing arrival destination.

Sight Loss Council Engagement Manager, Dave Smith, said:

“Buses are also an essential lifeline for blind and partially sighted people who cannot drive to get to work, see family and friends and socialise. Without accessible bus travel, many risk becoming isolated and cannot access the same life opportunities. Our goal is to make bus and coach travel accessible to all.

“Our training materials will be made available to all bus and coach operators and trainers across the UK. We are proud of our partnership with Brighton and Hove Buses, Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), Department for Transport (DfT), the Driver Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and Bus Users UK to support bus drivers to best meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people across the country.”

DVSA’s Chief Executive, Loveday Ryder, said:

‘’Making sure that bus drivers are fully trained to support passengers who are disabled is an important issue for DVSA.

‘’The visual impairments awareness driver training resource is an excellent tool to help improve bus drivers’ empathy and expertise when they interact with passengers who are blind or partially sighted.

“It’s great that DVSA, Thomas Pocklington Trust, CPT and Brighton and Hove buses have been able to work together to produce and promote this resource to the passenger carrying vehicle training industry.

“I’m sure it will help drivers and operators to meet the needs of their passengers, provide invaluable subject matter expertise to the driver training industry and help make bus travel more accessible for the many visually impaired passengers who rely on bus services in their daily lives.’’

Ed Wills, Managing Director, Brighton & Hove and Metrobus, said:

“These training films are a new and innovative way of demonstrating to drivers the vital role they play in supporting blind and partially sighted passengers. We are always striving to make bus travel as accessible as possible which is why we contributed to the making of these films.”

Claire Walters, Chief Executive of Bus Users UK, said:

“Accessible transport is a lifeline for people, providing access to essential services, education and employment. This initiative is extremely welcome and will have a huge impact on passengers with sight-loss, enabling them to travel safely and with confidence.”

The new resources will also be available to CPT members via the CPT compliance manual from September 2024. It will be available via the DVSA from November 2024.

Learn more

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Publication date: 24 September 2024