Rail accessibility and inclusion news – Page 7
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Rail Business UKAccessibility training extended to cover replacement bus teams
UK: Greater Anglia has extended its accessibility awareness training scheme to include rail replacement bus teams. The online programme is delivered by a team of disabled trainers put together by equality trainer Sarah Rennie. It covers meeting and greeting disabled customers, and how to talk to them ...
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NewsSNCB orders multifunctional double-deck coaches with improved accessibility
BELGIUM: National operator SNCB has ordered a further 204 Type M7 double-deck coaches, placing a contract for multifunctional vehicles adapted to improve accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility. Awarded to a consortium of Bombardier Transportation and Alstom, the €445m contract announced on December 21 has been ...
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Rail Business UKORR demands action on lack of wheelchair access at Liphook station
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has issued a formal Improvement Notice instructing South Western Railway to comply with its legal duty to ensure that people using wheelchairs can board and alight from trains at Liphook station. This action was taken after the regulator identified that ...
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Metro Report InternationalTram access ramps offer obstacle detection and emergency options
NETHERLANDS: The Urbos trams which CAF is currently supplying to Amsterdam operator GVB are fitted with four Masats RF2 automatic ramps to provide access for passengers with reduced mobility. Masats said its RF2 is a compact size and offers easy installation, as well ...
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Rail Business UKAccessibility features of Greater Anglia Aventra EMUs highlighted
UK: Greater Anglia has unveiled the accessibility features of the Class 720 Aventra electric multiple-units which Bombardier Transportation is supplying to operate outer-suburban commuter services into London Liverpool Street. ‘Our new trains will be much better for our disabled customers’, said Rebecca Richardson, ...
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Metro Report InternationalUCL to build station simulation laboratory
UK: University College London has announced plans to build a laboratory in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, which will be used to simulate the movement of people on large-scale environments such as stations. The Person-Environment-Activity Research Laboratory will consist of a 14 m high building ...
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Metro Report InternationalSão Paulo Metro develops a station navigation system for blind passengers
BRAZIL: Metrô de São Paulo has developed an infrared navigation system to help blind passengers navigate stations. The ‘Siga Fácil’ system uses an infrared receptor device that attaches to a user’s mobile phones to receive directions from transmitters installed throughout a station. The directions can then be ...
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Rail Business UKMerseyrail Class 777 arrives in Liverpool
The first of the Stadler Class 777 EMUs to renew the Merseyrail suburban fleet is now on test. Tony Miles reports from Kirkdale.
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Rail Business UKNon-PRM compliant trains get last-minute derogation
UK: A few days ahead of the January 1 2020 deadline for ensuring compliance with tighter accessibility standards, the Department for Transport has granted limited dispensations for operators to keep in service for up to one year trains which do not meet the TSI-PRM requirements.
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Rail Business UKORR consults on accessibility of rail-replacement coach services
UK: The Office of Rail & Road is consulting on a revision of its Accessible Travel Policy Guidance relating to rail-replacement coach services. The Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations come into effect for coaches on January 1 2020, with the aim of ensuring that disabled people, in ...
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Rail Business UKGreater Anglia rolls out disabled-led accessibility training
UK: All 2 500 of Greater Anglia’s frontline staff are to receive accessibility awareness training delivered by a team of trainers who have disabilities themselves. The team was put together by consultant Sarah Rennie, who said the trainers would ‘bring a level of lived experience into the ...
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Metro Report InternationalLondon journey planner tweaked to incorporate data analytics insights
UK: Transport for London has made changes to its journey planner following analysis of depersonalised wi-fi connection data from the mobile devices of passengers at London Underground stations. TfL previously relied on customer surveys of passenger flows, but the analysis of 2·7 billion data ...
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Rail Business UKStation lift-sharing share scheme launched by London Northwestern Railway
UK: London Northwestern Railway has launched a pilot lift-sharing scheme at Tring station, where accessibility improvement works beings have led to a temporary reduction in car parking capacity. Passengers can use the wmtrains.liftshare.com website to connect with people who drive on similar routes to the station, which ...
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Rail Business UKRail-specific deaf awareness course developed
UK: London Overground concessionaire Arriva Rail London has launched a rail-specific deaf awareness training course to bolster its existing disability awareness training as part of customer service induction. The course was developed with Signly, Deafax and University College London’s Deafness Cognition & Language Research Centre with funding ...
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Rail Business UKStation Improvement Vision for Wales
UK: Transport for Wales has announced a 15-year Station Improvement Vision covering 247 stations. The £194m programme includes free wi-fi and improved shelters, CCTV, cycle storage and passenger information. ‘Where possible’, TfW will provide retail opportunities for local businesses and support the development of community spaces. The ...
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Rail Business UKAccessible travel policy guidance updated
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has published updated guidance designed to enable train and station operators to provide older and disabled people with greater confidence when travelling by rail. The Accessible Travel Policy replaces ORR’s Disabled Persons’ Protection Policy and broadens its scope. Updated requirements ...
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Rail Business UKAssisted travel lounge opened at Birmingham New Street
UK: Network Rail has opened a £175 000 assisted travel lounge at Birmingham New Street station for use by passengers who need help getting between trains and the station concourse. Designed with the guidance of Birmingham New Street’s accessibility forum, the lounge has bright multicoloured signs to aid the ...
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Rail Business UKAlexa skill enables passengers to book travel assistance
UK: Virgin Trains has launched a ‘skill’ for Amazon Alexa virtual assistants which enables passengers with disabilities to book assistance for their journey using simple voice commands. The JourneyCare service usually requires users to fill in an online form or call a helpline after booking, which involves repeating information which ...
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Rail Business UKDigital technology aims to improve rail accessibility
ACCESSIBILITY: The TOC Ability consortium has published a report into the use of digital technology to improve the accessibility of the UK rail network by enabling disabled passengers to share their journey requirements with train operators while protecting their privacy. The consortium comprises Atkins, Arriva, Enable iD, Goss Consultancy, Loughborough ...
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Rail Business UKWheelchair ramp on test
UK: Greater Anglia has worked with design consultancy Trainways and manufacturer Portaramp to test a prototype wheelchair ramp, ahead of the entry into service of its new fleets of Bombardier Transportation and Stadler trainsets. Testing included consultation with people with assistance animals to ensure the ramp meets a range of ...