GTR and Sight Loss Councils innovate with app that transforms customer experience of blind and partially sighted passengers

All blind and partially sighted (BPS) people have the right to travel independently and safely.

But railway stations can be noisy, busy, bewildering places. Sight Loss Councils (SLCs), regional groups led by BPS volunteers, have partnered with Govia Thameslink Railway to increase station accessibility.

This is through trialing an innovative guiding app called Aira at 12 stations.

SLCs, funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust, work with organizations to ensure what they do is accessible and inclusive – with public transport being a key priority. The app – named Aira Explorer – gives BPS customers greater independence.

The user places a video call with a trained advisor who looks through the customer’s smartphone camera to guide them quickly around the station on speakerphone. The advisor can help people with anything from checking the departure board and locating a platform, to finding a member of staff, ticket machine or toilet. It is not a substitute for assistance and part of a wider package of support.

Unlike using an app with a map, customers really like the fact they are speaking to a person who is with them all the way.

They feel safer.

It’s been described as “brilliant” and “like having a friend on your shoulder”.