Three quarters of people with sight loss cannot rely on rail staff for help, RNIB report finds

Three quarters of blind and partially sighted people are unable to rely on staff for assistance or information when navigating the UK’s rail network, a new report from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has said.

The report also found that 60% are “not consistently met by staff at stations,” even when they have booked passenger assistance in advance.

The Platform for Change: making rail journeys more accessible for people with sight loss report aims to highlight the unpredictability that people with sight loss face when travelling by train in the UK.

Half of blind and partially sighted people fear being left stranded at train stations due to their previous experiences with passenger assistance, the report said.

Two thirds of blind and partially sighted passengers surveyed also reported that they cannot be confident that train staff will alert them if the destination of their train changes whilst they are on it.

The survey spoke to nearly 1200 blind and partially sighted people from across the UK.

Safety was also highlighted as a major concern for those with sight loss, with 82% reporting that the gap between trains and platforms causes them difficulty.

A majority (68%) reported that they would benefit from tactile wayfinding, including colour-contrasted paths to direct those with sight loss to facilities such as platforms, lifts, or points where they can meet staff.

Meanwhile, 42% would prefer to buy their tickets from a staff member – more than double the 21% who said their preferred option would be purchasing through an app.

The findings suggest that rail companies are “too often failing to provide information for blind and partially sighted passengers in formats they can understand, whether that’s on ticket machines, apps or websites, or on signage and guidance for locating and navigating around platforms, carriages and facilities such as buffets and train toilets,” the RNIB said.

Accessibility on trains: “a complete breakdown in the system”

The report highlighted the experience of blind and partially sighted passengers, including Paul Goddard, from East Sussex, who was registered blind in 2008 and regularly travels by train to London Bridge Station.

Goddard reported that pre-booked passenger assistance rarely, if ever, meets him at his arrival station.

“Every time I book assistance through the passenger assistance app when I’m travelling to London Bridge, I’m very anxious because I know the assistance is going to fail. No one meets me,” he said.

Staff are often disinterested despite Goddard showing proof that he has assistance booked, he shared.

The situation has often meant disruption to Goddard’s onward journey from the station.

Goddard emphasised: “It’s a complete breakdown in the system as far as I’m aware. You’ve got connections to make and if you are not met, you are missing the connections.”

He added: “It’s very difficult to claim back the money you’ve lost on those tickets, and you can be left completely out of pocket. It's just completely unacceptable.”

The RNIB’s policy lead for travel and transport, Erik Matthies, who is also visually impaired, said: “Far too many people with sight loss are frequently stuck at stations, unable to board or change trains, and face the stressful experience of having to seek help and locate platforms and carriages themselves.

“Blind and partially sighted people have to contend with challenging ticket buying methods, inaccessible stations, platforms and on-board facilities like toilets, and inconsistent gaps between the train and platform edges which contribute to anxious, potentially unsafe journeys.”

The Government’s Railways Bill, which is currently at the committee stage in the House of Commons, provides “a perfect opportunity to address these issues,” Matthies said.

The bill aims to establish Great British Railways, a publicly-owned body that will manage railway infrastructure and train services in Britain.

Matthies added that “the RNIB is calling on the UK Government and transport bodies to make sure accessibility is embedded in Great British Railways from the very start of its development.”

The full Platform for Change: making rail journeys more accessible for people with sight loss report can be read on the RNIB website.