#MakeTransportAccessible

All public transport providers have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make their services accessible. Despite that, standard of accessibility on public transport isn’t high enough to allow independent travel. Our #MakeTransportAccessible campaign aims to change that.

Our #MakeTransportAccessible campaign works to ensure blind and partially sighted (BPS) people can rely on accessible public transport to travel independently and safely.

Accessible public transport infrastructure is vital to ensure all BPS people can live the lives they want to lead. This includes access to work, education, services, community life, family and friends, leisure, and recreation.

Our work focusses on raising awareness and creating change by working with local authorities and transport operators across the country.

We also support Thomas Pocklington Trust to lobby national government for new legislation.

Sight Loss Council and Young Voices volunteers, and Thomas Pocklington staff, are sat on a bus creating some of the videos used in the training materials. Two passengers have white canes with them and there is a guide dog sat at the front.Launch of free approved bus and coach driver training materialsThomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) and its network of volunteer-led UK Sight Loss Councils have launched approved training materials to inform bus and coach drivers of how best to support blind or partially sighted (BPS) passengers. The ‘Vision Impairment Awareness for Bus Drivers’ training materials are free to all bus operators and trainers.  Read more
From left to right: Carl Martin, Accessibility Lead at GTR, Dave Smith, Engagement Manager for South East England, Paull Goddard, East Sussex SLC member, Lauren Eade, SLC coordinator, with staff members from GTR. They are stood together in a line in the ticket hall at Chichester Station.SLCs work with Govia to make rail network more accessibleSight Loss Councils are continuing to work with Govia Thameslink Railway to make the region’s rail network more accessible for blind and partially sighted passengers. Read more
The empty upper deck of a busNew report highlights barriers to accessing transportSight Loss Councils (SLC) and Thomas Pocklington Trust have launched a report that highlights the challenges blind and partially sighted (BPS) people face accessing transport.   #MakeTransportAccessible report – PDF... Read more
Steve Keith, Birmingham and Black Country SLC member, being guided through a ticket barrier by a member of staff. They have their backs to the camera.Travelling blind: my rail journey as a blind passengerSight Loss Council member, Steve, describes what a journey for a blind passenger is like and why making transport accessible is essential so blind and partially sighted people can maintain their independence. Read more
Image of a closed door at a ticket office. The image shows a sign to the left of the door which reads: 'Entrance when ticket office closed.'Sight Loss Councils welcome U-turn on ticket office closuresSight Loss Councils and Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) are calling for a national government strategy to address inaccessible rail travel, following issues raised in the ticket office closure consultation. Read more
A red London bus, shown going round a roundabout at Trafalgar Square, London.London SLCs and TfL partner to increase accessibility of transportLondon Sight Loss Councils have developed a partnership with Transport for London (TfL) to increase the accessibility of transport across the city. Read more
Several people queueing up at a ticket office in a train station.Sight loss charities urge rethink on ticket office closuresTen leading national sight loss charities have joined forces this week to write to the Secretary of State for Transport to object to proposals to close 974 railway station ticket offices across England. Read more
A National Rail ticket stationCountdown to closuresRail operating companies have announced plans to close 974 ticket offices across England. A public consultation has been launched and has been extended until 1 September 2023. Take action now to stop these plans. Read more
A Victorian rail station with a domed glass roof and ornate platform pillars. Several passengers are on the platform in the distance, waiting for a train.Network Rail unveils station accessibility plansNetwork Rail has responded to Thomas Pocklington Trust’s letter asking for clarification on its plans to improve the accessibility of railway stations across their network. Read more
The interior of Bristol Station with a departure board.TPT raises accessibility issues in Network Rail stationsThomas Pocklington Trust has written to the Chief Executive of Network Rail regarding making their railway stations more accessible. Read more
Bedfordshire SLC Engagement Manager, Samantha, and guide dog Lizzie, pictured with SLC members Stefan, and Phil, and Ethos Farm Staff. They are stood in a group, smiling at the camera.Bedfordshire SLC continues its work with Luton RisingBedfordshire Sight Loss Council is continuing its work with Luton Rising on the accessibility of the newly launched Luton DART shuttle service. Read more
A bus bus heads across a road bridge with a blue sky in the background.Government makes audio-visual announcementThe Department for Transport have now announced that they will make audio visual announcements on buses mandatory by 2026 Read more
Front of Bristol Temple Meads railway stationNetwork Rail Communications Award for work with Sight Loss CouncilsNetwork Rail’s Wales and Western project communications team has won a national Achieving Communications Excellence award in the Putting Passengers First category for its work with Bristol Sight Loss Council. Read more
A series of glass fronted ticket officers interspersed with speaking grates.Make Transport Accessible receives reply on ticket office petitionAs part of the #MakeTransportAccessible campaign, our partners at Thomas Pocklington Trust co-signed a letter with the National Federation of the Blind of the UK regarding the Governments' proposed changes to the staffing at railway stations and on train services across the UK. Read more
Image shows the Luton DART train driving alongside a platform.Bedfordshire SLC test Luton Rising Passenger Assist serviceBedfordshire Sight Loss Council visited Luton Rising to test their end-to-end end passenger assistance service.  Luton Rising is currently undergoing accessibility trials of the DART ahead of their launch. Read more
Network Rail staff and Bristol Sight Loss Council members, joined by Thomas Pocklington Trust staff, stood in a line near a platform at Bristol Temple Meads railway station. They are facing the camera and smiling.First station in the country to launch audio guide for blind and partially sighted peopleNetwork Rail has teamed up with Bristol Sight Loss Council (BSLC) to launch a first-of-its-kind audio guide to Bristol Temple Meads station, to assist blind and partially sighted people with wayfinding. Read more
Image shows the Luton Rising DART shuttle train, going through a platform.Bedfordshire Sight Loss Council inform Luton DART developmentBedfordshire Sight Loss Council has informed the development of a new Luton DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit) to help #MakeTransportAccessible. Read more
Image shows a train platform with large windows next to an old staircase. There are three art-deco lights, hanging over the platform and signage. .Thomas Pocklington Trust joins call on ticket officesThomas Pocklington Trust has added its voice to a letter calling on MPs to act in order to prevent ticket offices at railway stations from closing. Read more
Left to right: Trainee driver Richard Ward, Training and Recruitment Manager Keith Sheard and Trainee Driver Chantelle Pisarkeiwicz. They are stood in a line in front of a red First York bus. They are smiling.York SLC meets with bus drivers to help increase accessibility of travelBlind and partially sighted people met with drivers and managers at bus operator First York to discuss further ways to help and support people’s travel needs, increase accessibility and encourage a return to bus use after the pandemic. Read more
A bus blue makes it's way along a sun drenched road towards the City and Weston hospital in BristolAudio-visual announcements on buses a step closerAudio-visual announcements on buses took a step closer this week as Thomas Pocklington Trust met with the Real Time Information Group Read more
Sight Loss Council member Paul Goddard deep in conversation with Carl Martin (Govia Thameslink Railways) at the Make Transport Accessible event.Accessible Travel in Brighton and Hove forum success with transport providersBlind and partially sighted people met with transport providers at East Sussex Sight Loss Council’s first ever forum to discuss key issues most important to them. Read more
Image shows a train platform with tactile markings. Taken from ground level, it is a close up of the markings running along the platform. In the background you can see the platform screens, a train pulling in and overhead wires.‘Have your say on transport’ Gloucestershire forumGloucestershire Sight Loss Council’s visual impairment (VI) forum took place on Tuesday 26 July at Gloucester Rugby club. The theme was transport. Read more
Red bus driving down a road.Audio-visual announcement breakthroughFollowing a Sight Loss Council campaign, the Government has brought forward the timetable for the provision of audio-visual announcements on buses. Read more
Two photos side by side of two different Meet the Bus event attendees sat on a bus.Making transport accessible in the West of EnglandRead more on our "Meet The Bus" events in Bristol and Gloucestershire in partnership with First Bus and Stagecoach respectively. Read more
SLC members and Stagecoach staff and a guide dog aboard a bus and smilingMeet the Buses in Greater ManchesterBlind and partially sighted Greater Manchester residents were invited to a public event to walk through the layout of different bus styles, speak to drivers and training managers about their experiences and discuss how changes can be made to improve the accessibility of buses in Greater Manchester. Read more
picture of a street sign that reads Disabled badge holders onlyYork SLC member Anna Baldwin on the impact of York Council’s Blue Badge banYork Sight Loss Council continues to challenge City of York's ban on Blue Badge parking in York's city centre. SLC member, Anna Baldwin, shares how the ban has already negatively impacted her life. Read more
A group of people inside a train, some are guide dog users, some are wearing high-vis vests.How accessible are the new Merseyrail trains?Merseyrail invited Merseyside Sight Loss Council members on an exclusive tour of their new trains to familiarise themselves in advance of them going into service.  Read more
A busy pedestrianised road in York city centreBlue badge ban will shut out disabled residents from York city centreYork Council’s plans to permanently ban blue badge holders from driving in pedestrianised streets during the day will shut disabled people out of the city centre, warns York Sight Loss Council. Read more
Station platform with tactile paving and a train just approachingCharities call for urgent improvement of rail safetyThomas Pocklington Trust/ Sight Loss Councils calls on Network Rail and Department for Transport to urgently install missing warning tactile surface from railway platforms. Read more
Clifton suspension bridge in BristolVideo: How to assist blind and partially sighted taxi passengersBristol Sight Loss Council has worked with Bristol City Council and Avon and Somerset police to produce a video with practical guidance on how taxi drivers can assist blind passengers. Read more
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