Madeleine gets on board with Guide Dogs’ Talking Buses campaign

Bridgend MP calls for buses and coaches to have audible as well as visual announcements about next stop and final destination.

Bridgend MP Madeleine Moon has pledged her support for Guide Dogs' ‘Talking Buses' campaign, at an event held by the charity to raise awareness of how Talking Buses - which clearly announce the next stop and final destination - make bus travel easier and safer for passengers.

Guide Dogs has found that many disabled and elderly people cannot use buses independently and with confidence for fear of being stranded at the wrong stop. They are often left feeling anxious and unsafe, and some give up using the bus altogether.

The charity is calling for all buses in the UK to have audible as well as visible announcements on-board, similar to those on trains. It is urging the government to make it compulsory for audio-visual (AV) information systems to be installed on all new buses and coaches. It is also encouraging councils and bus operators to look at providing systems on existing vehicles to improve the accessibility and quality of services for local people.

In a recent YouGov survey, 66 per cent of respondents said they thought it would make bus travel easier if there were on-board announcements about where the bus is going and what stop is coming up.

David Cowdrey, Guide Dogs' campaign manager, says: "A lack of information undermines the independence and safety of vulnerable people who rely on buses to get around. Blind and partially-sighted people, for example, cannot see where they are, while wheelchair users often end up placed facing backwards. These people risk ending up at the wrong stop."

Madeleine said: "As well as disabled people, Talking Buses improve travel for all passengers - including visitors to the area - hopefully encouraging more to leave their cars at home. And in an emergency, an AV announcement system enables the driver to warn passengers. I hope to see talking buses become the norm in the coming years."

Companies including Transport for London, Trent Barton Buses (Nottingham and Leicester) and Thamesdown Transport (Swindon) have successfully rolled out AV systems on their buses.

Guide Dogs' Talking Buses campaign has the support of 24 national disability organisations.

People can find out more about Guide Dogs' ‘Talking Buses' campaign, and lend their own voices, by visiting www.guidedogs.org.uk/talkingbuses.