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Get on boardHow to make bus travel better for people with sight loss

In partnership with

Fundedby

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Contents Foreword

Introduction

Why this matters

Removing barriers to bus services

Useful resources

References

AcknowledgementsWe would like to thank Danny, Hilary and Nathan who feature in the film that accompanies this guide, as well as all those who took part in focus group discussions to inform it. We are also grateful to members of the Association of Transport Coordinators for their comments.

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ForewordPublic transport provides an essential service for many people, some of whom are among the most vulnerable in our society, to access employment and services. In Wales, the bus network is of particular importance in rural areas and parts of the country not served by rail. We are therefore working to ensure that everyone who needs to access bus services in Wales is able to do so.

Sight loss affects people of all ages, but as our population gets older, we must accept that more people are likely to experience loss of sight. The introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act in 1995, has helped bring about an improvement in attitudes and provision of services. It has improved the ability of blind and partially sighted people to live independent lives in Wales, but some barriers remain. That’s why I want to see the removal of any barriers to accessing bus services.

This guidance, firmly rooted in the life experiences of blind and partially sighted people, is an aid to help bus operators, trip organisers and public authorities to meet their legal and moral obligations to improve the accessibility of bus services.

I am confident that this guidance will make a valuable contribution to improving access to public transport and meeting our wider objectives to improve opportunities for independent living across Wales.

Edwina Hart MBE CStJ AM Minister for Economy, Science and Transport

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IntroductionBus travel is a vital service for people with sight loss, allowing them to actively take part in their communities, to work and live their lives independently. This guide sets out the actions that should be taken to ensure that bus services in Wales meet the needs of passengers with sight loss.

Ten actions to take1. Make bus stops accessible to people with sight loss.

2. Provide disability awareness training for bus drivers.

3. Have clear stopping policies that are applied and monitored.

4. Where vehicles are fitted with audio announcements, ensure that they are used.

5. Where vehicles do not have audio announcements, ensure bus drivers provide information for passengers with sight loss about the service and their destination.

6. Set performance management targets that incentivise drivers to assist passengers with sight loss.

7. Provide information about bus services in a range of accessible formats.

8. Make customer feedback systems accessible to people with sight loss.

9. Involve people with sight loss in planning, delivering and monitoring bus services.

10. Consider the impact of proposed changes on people with sight loss when conducting Equality Impact Assessments.

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Why this matters Facts and stats about sight lossThere are currently nearly 100,000 people in Wales living with sight loss [1].

The number of people with sight loss is expected to increase dramatically. It is predicted that by 2050 the number of people with sight loss in the UK will double [1].

Sight loss affects people of all ages but as we get older we are increasingly likely to experience sight loss. One in five people aged 75 and over, and one in two people aged 90 and over, are living with sight loss [1].

This means there are large numbers of people in your local authority area living with sight loss (probably far more that indicated on the local authority register of sight impaired people, because there are flaws within the registration system) and that a significant proportion of bus users or potential bus users will have sight loss.

What do we mean by sight loss?The reality of sight loss varies for each individual, but can impair:

• the sharpness or clarity of our vision

• our ability to detect objects to either side, above or below the direction in which we are looking

• our ability to detect colours.

Sight loss can impact on every aspect of a person’s life: their physical and mental health, their ability to live independently, their ability to find and keep a job, their family and social life.

It’s not always obvious that someone has sight loss or how much they can and cannot see unless they tell you. Some people will still be able to read standard print, others may use a magnifier or need larger print and others will need audio or braille versions of written materials. Some people will use a guide dog or a long cane to help them avoid obstacles and walk around safely, but not everyone with sight loss does. It is therefore important that you ask people what assistance they might need, and not make assumptions.

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Blind and partially sighted people’s experiences“It’s frightening, people just don’t understand what it’s like to have no idea where you are, if the rest of the world had to go through it, they would never get on a bus!” Mrs W

“I have to make myself go out, if I want to do something. I have to psych myself up, because it is scary... getting out and about is not easy.” Hilary

“I would only ever use the bus for familiar routes.” RNIB Cymru survey respondent, 2014

“My teenage son, because he is young, does not have a guide dog or cane, it’s not obvious he has a sight problem while at a bus stop (the way he prefers it as a teenager). This causes him to be treated quite impatiently by drivers. When I enquired about disabled services, they can only provide information about wheelchair access, which makes me very angry. I was told the alternative was to ring 24 hours in advance of what journeys my son planned to make – he’s a young man, he wants to use a bus like anyone else does, by judging when he’s ready! He doesn’t like flagging down buses, then realising it’s the wrong one once he can read its number and destination. Something seriously needs to change. ‘Disabled’ doesn’t just mean ‘wheelchair user’.” RNIB Cymru survey respondent, 2014

18% of blind and partially sighted respondents to a Guide Dogs survey described their usual on board experience as poor [2].

63%

said they chose to stay at home on at least a couple of occasions each month rather than using the bus.

81%

said, as a result of the difficulties they encountered when travelling by bus, they felt unable to enjoy the freedom others take for granted.

9% had missed job interviews, 14 per cent had turned down jobs, and 35 per cent said that the prospect of travelling by bus put them off attending doctors or hospital appointments.

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As people with sight loss do not drive, bus services can play a vital role in enabling them to get around. Yet it is clear that people with sight loss across Wales face many problems when using buses. This has led some to stop using buses altogether. Others say that they go out less often, or that when they do they have to prepare themselves for high levels of stress and inconvenience. This is despite the fact that many of these problems should be easy to resolve.

Taking the actions set out in this guide will help to make sure that all buses in Wales provide a consistent standard of service that can meet the needs of passengers with sight loss.

Legislative context All public transport providers have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make their services accessible. For someone with sight loss, making a service accessible means not only considering physical access to vehicles, but a wider range of factors, such as how they will access information about bus services, or the assistance that they may require during their journey.

The Equality Act requires “reasonable” changes to policies and practice(s) that place blind and partially sighted people at a substantial disadvantage and to provide auxiliary aids to existing provisions. Many of the policies and practices recommended in this guide could be described as auxiliary services to make bus journeys accessible, and considered reasonable steps for the bus operator to have to take in order to meet their Equality Act duties.

EU Regulations on Passenger Rights in bus and coach transport requiring non-discriminatory access to transport have been in force since March 2013. Other requirements that have not yet been enacted include:

•mandatory disability awareness training of staff of buses and coaches

• information to be provided throughout the journey.

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During 2014, the UK Minister for Transport undertook a review of bus driver training, including the use of a derogation applied under EU Regulation 181/2011 (concerning bus/coach passenger rights) exempting bus and coach drivers from undertaking mandatory disability awareness training. At the time of publication, there has been no outcome from this review.

Following the guidance in this document can help bus operators and local authorities meet their Equality Act duties and ensure they’re prepared for the new EU regulations.

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Removing barriers to bus servicesCommissioners of bus services will want to know that services are accessible to people with sight loss. More accessible bus services makes both good business sense and also fulfils legal obligations.

The sections below cover some of the key areas that commissioners, trip generators and bus operators should consider. To support bus operators, RNIB has developed a bus charter that involves signatories agreeing to a number of commitments relating to accessibility (see Useful resources). This can be adopted as a first step.

Local authorities can also consider the actions they could take themselves to improve bus travel for people with sight loss, for example adjusting roadside equipment and involving local blind and partially sighted bus users when services are being planned.

Driver training“I don’t have a guide dog, and I don’t use a cane, so a lot of people would look at me and not realise that I’ve got a disability, or got a sight problem. I sort of understand that, in a way, but when I’m asking for someone’s help, I’m asking for a reason, and if I didn’t need help, I wouldn’t ask. And I think if I am asking the bus driver ‘what bus is this?’ or ‘can you tell me when I need to get off for this stop?’, they should just say ‘yeah, that’s fine’, because that’s part of their job, and I don’t think it’s their right to ask me ‘why do you need me to tell you that?’...It’s not every bus driver.... but when you do get an incident, it makes you feel really bad; it knocks your confidence, because there’s just no need for it.” Danny

Bus drivers are not required to undertake any training specific to people with sight loss. We know, however, that drivers will encounter passengers with sight loss on a regular basis and the way that they interact has a critical impact on whether or not the passenger is able to use the service.

Having interactive sight loss awareness training and involving blind and partially sighted people in the design of training materials and activities, can have a significant impact on drivers’ understanding and behaviour. It is also an opportunity to make sure drivers are aware of the relevant policies in relation to people with sight loss (for example, bus stopping practices and accessible information provision).

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RNIB have developed an activity called “Swap with me” (see Useful resources), which is a way of bringing bus drivers, instructors and managers together with passengers with sight loss for a few hours of swapping and sharing experiences. Bus drivers wear “sim specs”, which simulate different types of eye conditions, and then try hailing and boarding a bus, interacting with the driver and finding a seat. Throughout the activity, the drivers are paired with a passenger with sight loss so they can ask about their experiences. Full details of how to run a “Swap with me” event are available from RNIB. The film that accompanies this guide may also be useful for training.

“By taking part in ‘Swap with me’, we gained a better understanding of the obstacles our partially sighted and blind customers face whilst catching a bus. It also gave customers the opportunity to sit behind the wheel to experience the noise levels and bus travel from the driver’s perspective. We value working with RNIB, and it’s evident from this event the difference positive open dialogue and mutual understanding makes. Some great lessons were shared which I’m confident will improve the service for everyone.” Simon Mohammad, Cardiff Bus

“The ‘Swap with me’ event was a really good opportunity to meet people on the frontline and get their view on how difficult it is to navigate a big vehicle, when dealing with passengers and money and trying to keep to time. It gave me an understanding of what it’s like for bus drivers. And in turn they learned about different eye conditions and how they impact on our daily lives, and asked lots of questions.” Nicola

Stopping policies and practices“The bus stop has probably about three or four different buses that stop there, so I can’t always tell which bus is coming in. But if there’s somebody at the bus stop then I can ask or they will quite often say ‘where are you going?’ and tell me.” Hilary

“I had a very distressing experience when a bus did not stop for me at a bus stop. The driver did stop though, 100 yards up the road. On alighting the bus, the driver was very abrupt with me. He said that he did not know that I was waiting for the bus because I did not signal for him to stop. Being so upset because of his attitude, I did not tell him that with my eye condition I did not see the bus approaching.” Carol

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Many bus operators’ current policies act against the best interests of people with sight loss. The most obvious example of this is statements contained within their Conditions of Carriage, which put the onus on the customer to flag the bus down when waiting at a bus stop. In effect this means the service is provided on terms which can only be met by people who have the ability to see an approaching bus and its route number.

A 2012 survey by RNIB found that nine in ten people with sight loss cannot see a bus in time to hail it [3]. Many are forced to rely on the kindness of other passengers; others tell stories about flagging down vans and lorries that they’d heard approaching because they thought it could be their bus. In the 2012 RNIB survey eight in ten reported that they’d missed the bus they wanted. To ensure that their service is accessible to people with sight loss bus operators’ policies should state that they will stop for any waiting passenger at bus stops, regardless of whether or not they signal for the bus to stop.

There are other aspects of stopping practices that can prevent people with sight loss from using buses. When there is already one bus at a bus stop, it is common practice for a second bus to stop behind it and board passengers. Respondents to a Guide Dogs survey from 2013 reported that only one in four drivers always pull right up to the kerb [2]. For passengers who can’t see a second bus has arrived, this will usually result in them missing their bus – nearly half of all respondents to RNIB’s 2014 survey said they’d missed a bus because it had not boarded passengers at the official bus stop [4].

“When buses stop, they don’t always pull close enough to the kerb or drop the level so I can get on and off easily. Often buses don’t stop at the designated stop and so there is no raised kerb, so I struggle to get on and off. This is really hard when there is lots of buses stopping at the same stop or lots close together. When cars park on the verge or edge of the road, I sometimes find it very hard to see the bus coming until it is too late.” RNIB Cymru survey respondent, 2014

“When the bus doesn’t stop at the bus stop, I sometimes have problems getting off because of the gap to the kerb, and my guide dog can’t help me with that.” RNIB Cymru survey respondent, 2014

Nine in tenpeople with sight loss cannot see an approaching bus in time to hail it [3].

Seven in tenpeople missed their bus because it boarded away from the official bus stop [3].

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Operators’ policies should be clear that drivers should position their buses safely at bus stops before opening the doors to allow passengers to board or exit the bus, and regularly monitor performance to ensure that this happens in practice.

Audio announcements “I don’t understand the resistance to having audio announcements on buses. It’s so useful on a train... I don’t have to ask anybody when it’s my stop. It’s such a simple thing, and it’s not even that expensive to implement on a new bus. You don’t have to worry about a passenger remembering, you don’t have to worry about a bus driver remembering. When you actually get off, you know which bus stop you are at.” Nathan

“We’ve got audio announcements on one of our local bus routes now, and it’s very, very, very good. I now know the route! You really realise how important it is when you get on a bus that doesn’t have them, and you really miss it.” Peter

“Audio announcements don’t always work – they get stuck or announce the wrong stop. Sometimes they stop halfway through the route. The bus driver said he didn’t know how to set it up properly.” RNIB Cymru survey respondent, 2014

“Occasionally some bus drivers when stopping at a bus stop will say ‘this is service number so and so (eg 20), going to... (stating the destination)’. But only the odd one or two drivers do so. It would be more helpful if all drivers were encouraged to do this when a person is carrying a white cane.” RNIB Cymru survey respondent, 2014

89%

of blind and partially sighted people have missed their stop because they didn’t know where they were on a journey [5].

Automatic audio announcements (“talking buses”) help people know when to get off the bus, without having to rely on the driver or other passengers to help them. Including the facility to make audio announcements is a tiny fraction of the cost of a new bus, but is a key step in making the service fully accessible to people with sight loss. Operators should be expected to commit to including audio announcements on all new buses. Information about which routes have audio announcements must also be communicated to people with sight loss so that they can make informed choices about the routes they use.

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There have been examples where drivers on “talking buses” have turned the audio down or off, sometimes because of complaints from other passengers about them being intrusive. To prevent this happening, announcements need to be concise and meaningful to passengers. Bus operators also need to make drivers aware of the impact that disabling audio announcements can have on their passengers and explain why the system is important.

Assistance“You can try asking the driver, and if they agree to help, which they don’t always, they don’t always necessarily remember, and I’ve found myself in some very difficult situations, where the driver who has forgotten, suddenly remembers a few stops later and told you ‘Oh no mate, here’s your bus stop here’. So you get off the bus and you’re not where you thought you were. The worst situation I’ve ever been in was he didn’t tell me that it wasn’t my stop, he didn’t say ‘I’ve forgotten to tell you, you’re two stops further on’, so I’m now navigating around, assuming I’m in one place, when actually I’m now half a mile down the road, and I can’t understand why, when I’m expecting a kerb for the guide dog to stop at, there’s no kerb, and the dog just keeps going and going, and I’m thinking where am I?” Nathan

“I’ve just moved to the area, and I’ve had problems with the bus drivers not telling me when to get off so I missed my stop. It has made me feel very anxious and stressed as the bus drivers would tell me where we were or the name of the stop, but I wouldn’t know where that was. My guide dog only knows certain routes so in unfamiliar places we are totally lost.” Nicola

54%

of blind and partially sighted people reported they had missed their stop because drivers have refused to agree to tell them when they’d reached their stop journey [2].

On buses without audio announcements, people with sight loss remain dependent on the driver to let them know when they have reached their destination. Bus operators’ policies should make clear that they expect their drivers to provide information (such as bus route numbers and destinations and when to get off the bus) to passengers when they ask, as well as asking if they need assistance with payment or finding a seat. This should be reiterated through driver training.

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Drivers’ targets and performance managementMost bus operators incentivise drivers to meet strict timing targets, but don’t reward drivers who provide assistance to disabled passengers. Time spent enabling passengers to use their service should not count against drivers. Therefore operators should ensure that timing targets take into account time that may be needed to assist passengers with sight loss.

Driver supervision and performance management should also be used to ensure that the policies and training highlighted in the sections above are being put into practice. The “what we expect from our bus drivers” section of RNIB’s Bus charter (see Useful resources) may assist with this.

Accessible information“Larger print timetables being replaced by adverts has caused me problems. I complained about this... but I didn’t have a satisfactory result.” RNIB Cymru survey respondent, 2014

81% of blind and partially sighted people say they find it difficult or impossible to read bus time table information at bus stops [6]

Many people with sight loss are not able to read standard print. It is therefore important that information produced by bus companies, such as bus timetables, are available in a range of formats including audio, large print and braille. Whether planning a journey, at the bus stop or on board a bus, blind and partially sighted people will need access to information. Public authorities should include the provision of accessible and accurate information as a requirement in tenders for contracted services. This should include clear and accessible signage.

Increasing numbers of people with sight loss are using the internet and smartphone technology, to access information, but many are not able to and will need access to information in alternative formats. Only 12 per cent of respondents to RNIB’s 2014 bus survey said that they use apps on smartphones to help them locate buses or know when to get off a bus [4].

Use of apps would be supported by the provision of WiFi on buses, however blind and partially sighted people who were consulted in the production of this guidance said that they would prefer the roll-out of audio announcements to be prioritised over WiFi provision on-board or the development of new apps.

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“Most people who use buses are older and don’t use technology as much as youngsters, if they think we should buy smartphones just so we can work out where we are on the bus that’s not fair, sighted people don’t have to do that, why should we?” Mrs N

However, those who do use apps say they are useful, and others say they would like to use an app but either don’t have a smartphone or don’t know which apps are accessible [4].

“Smartphone technology has made a big difference for me. I do find it very useful. I’ve got an app for Traveline Cymru, and you can put in your journey you want to make and then it’ll tell you what bus numbers to get and what bus stops to go to. So then I need to actually get to those bus stops and things like that, and then I can use another app, which is speech enabled, to find them.” Nathan

The design and format of websites and apps will also determine whether someone with sight loss is able to use them or not. For example, websites will need to be compatible with “screen readers” used by someone who is blind and “screen magnification” software that a partially sighted person might use. To achieve this, websites should have WCAG 2.0 accreditation.

RNIB’s digital access team are able to provide further guidance on web accessibility, can audit apps for accessibility and provide accreditation. They can be contacted on:

Email: digitalaccess@rnib.org.ukWebsite: rnib-business.org.ukRNIB Helpline: 0303 123 9999

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Complaints procedures“It’s quite easy to make a complaint once you know who to ask for... but I had help from RNIB to do that, so now it’s easy. I have a named person I can contact, and they do respond, and they do look into things, but not everyone has the same information and ability to email a named person direct.” Nicola

“I’ve phoned to complain several times, but I can never get through, and when I have complained, nothing has ever come of it.” Mr D

“When you contact customer services, they say they will get back to you, but they don’t or you can’t get an answer.” RNIB Cymru survey respondent, 2014

People with sight loss do not always find it easy to make complaints about bus services. Obtaining bus identification or registration numbers, for example, can be impossible when this information is only available visibly. Equally, complaints forms are not always provided in accessible formats such as large print, audio and braille (see Accessible information). Bus operators should test their customer feedback systems with people with sight loss to ensure these are accessible and that people can easily access information about how to complain.

Bus Users Cymru is supported financially by the Welsh Government to represent the interests of all bus passengers, including those with sight loss. They can support blind and partially sighted passengers to resolve complaints, and can also work with local transport authorities and bus operators to organise events to meet local bus users. Bus Users Cymru can be contacted on:

Telephone: 029 2022 1370 Email: wales@bususers.org

Engaging with blind and partially sighted peopleThe best way to find out if bus services are accessible to people with sight loss is to ask them. Involving people with sight loss in discussion about changes to policies, practices and service provision and physical changes (such as to bus stops and bus stations), will avoid any unintended consequences. As part of conducting an equality impact assessment of any proposal, public authorities should seek the views of people with sight loss. However there should also be ongoing dialogue to ensure that bus services are meeting their needs.

Bus operators should also be expected to meaningfully involve people with sight loss in all changes to design, policies, practices, service provision, reviews and evaluations. Having a forum through which potential changes to services can be consulted on and regular feedback can be received will ensure people’s needs are properly understood.

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Across Wales, there are many local groups of blind and partially sighted people who could provide a ready-made forum for bus operators to engage with. Wales Council of the Blind is the umbrella body for such groups and can help to facilitate contact with them. Wales Council of the Blind can be contacted on:

Telephone: 029 2047 3954 Email: staff@wcb-ccd.org.uk

Bus stops“I’ve stood at the edge of the kerb and on the road in the rain so I’m visible to drivers, because of all the parked cars.” Mr T

The location of bus stops and shelters, and the environment around them is vitally important for people with sight loss. A frequent problem for people with sight loss is the pavement furniture that often lines the route near bus stops and that can create an additional hazard when getting on and off the bus: RNIB surveys in 2012 and 2014 found that half of respondents said they’d collided with obstacles on the pavement that obstructed the exit doors [3] [4].

Factors which need to be taken into account

•Proximity of the bus stop or bus shelter to safe road crossings (including controlled crossings), and the distance from junctions.

•The condition of the pavement, including the width of the pavement, provision of dropped kerbs and appropriate tactile warning surfaces. Consideration should also be given to the presence of grass verges which may be wet and slippery.

•The likelihood of attracting cars to park inappropriately, and block access to buses and the use of measures to prohibit parking, and monitoring by parking enforcement officers.

•The design of the bus shelter itself, including using appropriate colour contrast on bus shelters, so that glass and metal structures stand out from their surroundings to maximise visibility. Manifestations on the glass should adhere to Department for Transport guidelines.

•Use of planters and seating should not obstruct access to the bus stop or shelter, or reduce visibility.

•Bus timetables and numbering should be in large clear font and be appropriately colour contrasted to its’ background. Height, size and location should comply with Department for Transport guidelines.

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Useful resourcesBus Users UK in Wales’s 2013 Public Transport for People with Sensory Loss report provides best practice guidance for operators and local authorities on the provision of public transport services in Wales for people with visual and hearing loss. Available online at: bit.ly/1u0iIsv

Welsh Government’s Bus Policy Advisory Group (2014) report on their review of bus policy, includes recommendations about how to make bus transport more accessible. Available online at: bit.ly/1u0iT7g

RNIB’s Bus Charter and guide to running a Swap with Me event are included within “We’re on Board: making bus travel better for blind and partially sighted people”. The report and accompanying film are available online at: rnib.org.uk/bus

Guide Dogs also produce a “Tips for Bus Drivers” leaflet, available online at: bit.ly/1wNIYWp

References1. Access Economics (2009), Future Sight Loss UK 1: The economic impact

of partial sight and blindness in the UK adult population (RNIB, 2009).

2. Guide Dogs (2013), Road to Nowhere report. Available online at: bit.ly/1pb4TGv

3. RNIB (2012) Stop for Me, Speak to Me report. Available online at: rnib.in/stopformespeaktomereport

4. RNIB Bus Survey 2014: Summary of responses. Available online at: rnib.in/bussurvey2014

5. Guide Dogs (2012), Forgotten Passengers report. Available online at: bit.ly/1sQIZTt

6. RNIB (2014), Street survey of 500 blind and partially sighted people (unpublished).

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