Audio and visual funding to make UK buses more accessible

Buses around Great Britain will become more accessible for disabled passengers thanks to a new partnership with the Real Time Information Group (RTIG).

The group, which supports good practice in the use of communications technology on public transport, will work with the Department for Transport to allocate £2 million of funding to small bus operators for audible and visible on-board information.

It coincides with the launch of the It’s everyone’s journey campaign, the first stage of a new government-backed initiative to highlight the part we can all play in improving disabled people’s experiences when using public transport.

The department is now calling on charities, transport operators, and commercial organisations to join the campaign, helping to raise awareness of the needs of disabled travellers and share some of the improvements being made to make travel easier for the one in five disabled people in the UK.

Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “It is unacceptable that people still feel they cannot travel by bus, because of a lack of basic route and destination information on board local bus services.

“This partnership is the next step in ensuring that passengers have the information they need to travel confidently on local bus services throughout Great Britain. However, we know there is more to do which is why I’m delighted we’re also launching our It’s everyone’s journey campaign and I invite as many partners as possible to join up so that everyone has equal access to public transport.”

The fund for the provision of audio and visual information on-board buses was announced as part of the government’s Inclusive Transport Strategy which aims to provide equal access to the transport network by 2030.

Operators of local bus services are likely to be required to have audio and visible information systems in their vehicles, and this funding is intended to help small operators which might find this costly to implement.

With audio visual equipment only available in limited areas, and predominantly provided by larger operators, the department expects this funding to benefit up to 30 small bus operators.