Bus services are “failing their blind and partially sighted passengers in Wales”

Just one in 10 blind or partially sighted people can make all the journeys they want or need to by bus in Wales, according to a report released today by RNIB Cymru.

Buses are a vital mode of transport for blind and partially sighted people to access work, healthcare, education, and community activities. RNIB Cymru’s ‘All Aboard’ report shows that nearly half (43 per cent) find making familiar bus journeys either fairly or very difficult and this rose to nearly nine in ten (87 per cent) for unfamiliar journeys.

The charity highlights challenges at every stage of a person with sight loss’ bus journey, from planning their travel, to getting to the bus stop, and getting on and off the bus.

Other findings in the report, based on feedback from blind and partially sighted people in Wales, included:

• Just two per cent can access timetables at bus stops.
• More than half (51 per cent) of respondents said that they had difficulty finding the correct bus stop when making familiar bus journeys. This rose to 61 per cent when making unfamiliar journeys.
• 80 per cent say that audio announcements are “sometimes, rarely, or never” present.
• Nearly three in four (71 per cent) say bus drivers don’t have suitable training to support blind and partially sighted people.

Carole Morgan, 70, from Cardiff, says: “As someone living with sight loss, I would love to be able to rely on my local bus services to take me to my volunteering roles and medical appointments but unfortunately, I just can’t.

“One of the most frustrating things is not being able to read the timetable, it’s a big hurdle. At the bus stops they’re printed too small and placed so high up that I have no chance of being able to read them.

“If I manage to get on the right bus then finding priority seating has become much harder, and when there are lots of people on a bus it’s tricky to get through them with my guide dog.

Carole added: “Drivers aren’t always helpful either. They often don’t let you know if a bus is too full, and they’ll just pull off before you’ve sat down which can be really dangerous. “I’d love to see a dialogue open up between bus companies and blind and partially sighted passengers. I’ve had the opportunity to speak to drivers as part of my volunteering duties and it’s always been extremely positive”

Rob Williams, 30, from Ruabon near Wrexham, says: “The biggest issue for me is definitely drivers. Their attitudes and training feel so inconsistent which is frustrating because I’m often dependent on them to let me know when I’m at the right stop.

“I’m totally blind, so without someone telling me where I am I’ve no way of knowing, especially on an unfamiliar route. In the past drivers have remembered once we’ve gone past the stop and I’ve been dropped off in the rain on the side of a main road without a pavement, which wasn’t ideal.

“One time I was told we’d gone past my stop and I had to choose between walking back three miles or waiting several hours for the next bus going the other way.”

Based on the findings of its report RNIB Cymru is making recommendations to Welsh Government, Transport for Wales and local bus operators on how they can make their services more inclusive and accessible. These include making sure that digital and physical timetables are accessible to all, improving the design of bus stops and stations, and guarantees of a consistent level of audio information and support on board buses.

Welsh Government has recently introduced a Bus Services Wales Bill in the Senedd, something RNIB Cymru hopes will make bus travel more accessible to the 112,000 blind and partially sighted people living in Wales.

Ansley Workman, RNIB Cymru Country Director said: “Bus travel is absolutely vital for blind and partially sighted people. Unfortunately, bus services in Wales are failing their blind and partially sighted passengers by being shockingly inaccessible.

“Nobody with sight loss should feel like they’re having to overcome hurdles at every stage of their bus journey. This is why our report doesn’t just highlight problems, it offers lots of solutions.

We want to see bus planning tools that are accessible and work with assistive technology, safer routes to and from bus stops that are designed to be inclusive. On board buses there also need to be changes, with reliable audio announcements available on every bus, and drivers who feel confident to support their passengers with sight loss.

“These improvements could be absolutely life changing for blind and partially sighted people who rely on accessible bus travel to be live a full and active life.”