SLC’s ‘highly commended’ at National Rail Awards

Sight Loss Councils are thrilled to announce we’ve been ‘highly commended’ at the National Rail Awards on Thursday, 12 September 2024. This was in recognition for our joint work with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to #MakeTransportAccessible for blind and partially sighted (BPS) people. 

 Engagement Manager for the South-East, Dave Smith said:   

“We’re really proud of our work with Govia Thameslink Railway to increase accessibility in response to blind and partially sighted (BPS) people telling us that accessible public transport is most important to them. Everyone should be able to rely on public transport and travel independently and safely. Without it, people cannot get to work, visit family and friends, and risk becoming isolated.  

“Building on the success of this important work, we’ve started a new project with Govia Thameslink Railway to further increase accessibility at stations, including through accessibility assessments of stations, booking processes and ticketing; improving navigation through accessible maps and guides; and running coffee and chat events for BPS customers to build confidence to travel. We look forward to continuing this partnership in the future.” 

GTR’s Accessibility Lead Carl Martin added:

“The AIRA app has had great feedback from our blind and partially sighted customers. It’s just one of the ways we’re innovating to make our services more accessible.”

What’s coming up

Sight Loss Councils and Thomas Pocklington Trust are excited to announce that the City Transport & Traffic Innovation Magazine (CiTTi) Awards 2024 has shortlisted us in the Transport Inclusivity & Accessibility category. CiTTi Magazine is the UK’s leading business publication for urban transport and traffic professionals, with the winners announced on Tuesday, November 26, 2024.

This recognition also honours our collaboration with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to #MakeTransportAccessible for blind and partially sighted people, including the introduction of the innovative guiding app, Aira, at Govia Thameslink Railway stations.  

Join us

Sight Loss Councils are currently recruiting new blind or partially sighted members aged 19 and over to lead its work.

Whether you’re interested in public speaking or honing your social media skills, there’s something for everyone to get involved in.

Find out if we are recruiting in your area and complete our application form. 

 Learn more on how to join us

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Publication date: 17 September 2024