New rules are being introduced on buses across Britain from today. The new requirements have been described as a "massive boost for passenger independence" that will help people make journeys more easily.
The Department for Transport (DfT) now requires almost every local bus or coach service to provide audible announcements and visual displays identifying the route and direction, each upcoming stop, and the beginning of any diversions. The Government has provided £4.65 million in funding for the smallest bus and coach companies, and the DfT says the changes will be implemented gradually, with almost all vehicles required to comply by October 2026.
According to the DfT, there is "patchy provision" for audible announcements across the country, with only 30% of buses outside London providing this information. This puts disabled people wanting to travel by bus or coach at a major disadvantage.
The Government says clear audible and visible information will also benefit non-disabled people, helping those who are travelling on an unfamiliar bus route, and giving passengers confidence that they will not be left stranded at the wrong stop late at night.
Roads and Accessibility Minister Richard Holden said: “Everyone deserves to take the bus with confidence, and this is a massive boost for passenger independence. Simple and effective audible and visible information should be a baked-in feature of a modern bus service to help people reach their destination, wherever they travel in Great Britain.”
The DfT says audio will be available through induction loop systems. All new vehicles introduced after October 2024 must also include visible information which can be seen by a wheelchair user when travelling in a rearward-facing wheelchair space.
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Guide Dogs’ chief executive Tom Wright CBE said: “For so many people, buses are key to opening opportunities to get out independently: to go out to work, get to appointments, and to see friends. But for many people with sight loss, bus travel can prove difficult or near impossible.
“At Guide Dogs, we are delighted that the Government has taken this significant step in making bus travel more accessible to people with a visual impairment. Our research shows that over half of people with sight loss have missed their stop due to a lack of AV, and many people avoid bus travel altogether because buses remain inaccessible. Today’s announcement, and the financial support behind it, will open up opportunities for people with sight loss to live independently.”
