Rail stations accessibility map launched in the UK

Rail Delivery Group announced the launching of a new interactive Access Map which will make it easy for passengers to find out about accessibility at stations, helping to boost their confidence to travel by train.
The new Access Map has information about all stations across Britain and allows people to, at a glance, identify whether any station in the country is accessible so they can plan according to their needs and have smoother and more reliable journeys. 

Passengers can search for specific stations or view anywhere in Britain using Access Map, which clearly displays:

• whether stations have step-free or partial step free access
• what facilities are available at a station, including accessible toilets and changing places
• where alternative accessible stations are for on-the-go planning.

Ensuring customers know what to expect at any station will give them greater confidence to travel by train. Access Map is compatible with accessible features on iPhone, Android and desktop computers, including for visually impaired people. It is also being developed as an app, which will be released in the coming months to make it even easier to use on the go, at the touch of a button.

Accessibility Campaigner Sarah Ward said: “Knowing in advance what features are at a station before I get there increases my confidence hugely. I think the map will be beneficial for a whole range of people. The more information you can have before you travel, the easier it is.”

The development of the Access Map has become one of the points of a long-term strategy for the development of barrier-free transport system in the UK, whose task is to encourage people with limited mobility to travel more by train and lead a more active lifestyle. The rail industry is also trialing a revolutionary app and upgrading back-office computer systems used by booking centers and station staff to speed up booking assistance. From November, people will be able to set up user profiles and spend far less time on the phone booking assistance.

Beginning next year, rail staff will start using the upgraded systems and by summer 2020, the customer app will go live, helping passengers have more control over their journey. Train companies are also introducing new, more accessible trains in the next year, which include onboard passenger information systems that provide better audio-visual information about journeys.

The rail industry has delivered over £500 million of accessibility improvements since 2006, with 75% of journeys now made through step-free stations.