Campaign to promote talking buses is underway

Frank Salt and his guide dog Lewis

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association has started a campaign to get buses equipped with audio and visual announcement systems to allow blind and visually impaired people, as well as everyone else to be aware of where the bus is.

The campaign is looking for a change in the law to be made to make audio and visual information, including audible announcements, of the current stop, next stop and final destination available on board bus and coach services across the UK.

Frank Salt of STORM (Support the Oldham Rochdale Manchester line) who is blind supports the campaign and said: “You would usually tell the bus driver that you need to know when you stop is coming up but that can be hard because sometimes the drivers change or if it busy they forget. It can then be awkward if you get off and you are not familiar with where you are.”

Baroness Kramer, the new minister responsible for buses at the Department of Transport (DfT) also supports the campaign. One of the first things she will be doing in her role is responding to the Transport Select Committees recommendation to make all new buses talking buses.

Frank added: “The technology is there so there is no reason why this can’t happen.”

Installing the systems on all UK buses will enable blind and partially sighted people to use buses with confidence. It would also improve the experience of bus travel.

“I think it will happen eventually” said Frank. “It is a reasonable adjustment to make and there is no reason for it not to happen.”

The talking bus system is currently operating in places throughout the UK. London currently operates an ibus system which means every bus in the town has audio and visual information. Nottingham, Reading, Coventry and Warwickshire, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire and Warrington currently have a small fleet of talking buses in operation.

For anyone wishing to support the campaign, you can do so by visiting:

https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/supportus/campaigns/talkingbuses/how-you-can-help-the-talking-buses-campaign