Clear Signals: Improving transport accessibility
For many deaf people and people with hearing loss, using public transport means navigating barriers that most passengers never have to think about.
I get into a panic. You don’t know if there’s a terrorist or a bomb’s gone off. You just don’t know. The bus stops, the people leave and that’s all you know. That’s all you can see.” 35-44, deaf BSL user, Greater London
Public transport should work for everyone, but our research shows more than three quarters (77%) of people who are deaf or have hearing loss face significant and systemic barriers when travelling on public transport. For British Sign Language (BSL) users, this figure is 94%.
Whether travelling by bus, train or other forms of public transport, passengers struggle to access important information needed to make journeys safely and confidently.
Our new report, funded by the Motability Foundation, reveals widespread challenges accessing real-time information, a lack of deaf awareness amongst transport staff, and a lack of BSL translation. This affects people’s confidence, independence and willingness to travel.
However, potential solutions for some of the issues already exist and the report highlights how these can be delivered through better information, better staff support, emerging technologies and consistent policy.
Watch the executive summary in BSL
Clear Signals report
Download a PDF version of our report, ‘Clear Signals: Improving transport accessibility for deaf people and people with hearing loss’. The technical appendix, and our Wales transport system report in English and in Welsh are available below.
Additional reports and versions
A ‘pan-modal’ problem
Our findings show that accessibility barriers remain common across buses, trains, metro systems, trams and ferries, affecting people’s confidence, independence and ability to participate fully in everyday life.
Access to information is the biggest barrier
I hate that the deaf person’s always the last person to know what’s going on.” 55-64, deaf BSL user, West Midlands
72% of respondents say the way travel information is provided creates barriers for them. Of these, 89% say this affects their confidence when travelling.
Reliance on audio
People describe a transport system that relies heavily on audio announcements, particularly during cancellations and disruption. And visual information is often missing, unreliable or inconsistent.
Poor visual information
Broken displays, missing live updates and poor coordination between audio and visual information can leave passengers without access to critical information about their journey.
Lack of BSL
For people whose main or preferred language is BSL, barriers can be even greater because information is rarely available in BSL.
The role of staff
When information systems fail, many people rely on staff for support but only 6% say that staff are always available when needed.
Many also highlighted a lack of deaf awareness and understanding of different communication needs.
The physical environment
Two thirds of those surveyed identify factors such as noise, poor lighting and overcrowding as barriers when using public transport.
The impact goes far beyond the journey
The consequences of inaccessible transport extend well beyond getting from one place to another. 41% feel that accessibility barriers limit their independence.
People described anxiety, stress, fatigue. Nearly four in five (79%) say they are constantly “on alert” during journeys.
Many reported spending significant time preparing routes in advance, building in extra time, relying on companions or avoiding journeys altogether.
The impact is particularly significant for BSL users, people with multiple disabilities and those travelling in rural areas, where services are often less frequent and support is more limited.
Watch our case study about AI-enabled BSL translation in BSL
What needs to change
Our report calls for:
- Reliable consistent access to information across transport modes
- Improved audio-visual passenger information systems for all passengers
- Audio announcements made accessible using technology such as hearing loops, Auracast and BSL translation
- Deaf awareness training for staff
- Meaningful involvement of deaf people and people with hearing loss in the design of transport services.
Watch what improvements our communities prioritise in BSL
Three clear recommendations
Policy and regulatory reform
Including the creation of a consistent pan-modal approach to accessible information.
Investment in innovation
Investment in pilots and trials of new technology such as Auracast, and involving people with lived experience throughout testing, implementation and evaluation.
Improved service delivery
Embedding accessibility improvements in transport plans at national and local level. Improving accountability and staff training.
Your stories
Methodology
The report is based on wide-ranging quantitative and qualitative research with over 1,700 people who are deaf or have hearing loss and have used public transport in the last two years, including 283 BSL users.
To reflect the diverse needs and travel behaviours of our communities we developed the research with input from an advisory board.