Understand
Audio guides for blind and partially sighted passengers introduced at Sussex railway stations
Overview
New audio guides designed to help blind and partially sighted passengers familiarise themselves with station and train layouts have been introduced at six railway stations, including Brighton and Eastbourne in Sussex. Developed by Sight Loss Council volunteers and Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR), the guides aim to improve travel confidence by offering descriptive navigation alternatives to traditional visual maps.
Key points
- Audio guides have been introduced at Brighton and Eastbourne stations in Sussex, alongside London Blackfriars, Sutton, Stevenage and Luton Parkway.
- The initiative was created by Sight Loss Council volunteers and staff at Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR) to help passengers familiarise themselves with station and train layouts before travelling.
- The idea was developed because standard website maps provide a birds-eye-view that is inaccessible to blind and partially sighted individuals.
- Guides have also been created for Thameslink trains, most Southern-operated services, and carriages running in and out of Moorgate on Great Northern.
- Passenger feedback has been positive, with users praising the detailed descriptions of station environments and floor changes to aid navigation by memory.