Dear Editor,

Public transport is an essential part of everyday life, but for people who are deaf or have hearing loss - journeys by services like trains, buses or ferries can be a huge challenge.

Inaccessible audio announcements, a lack of deaf awareness amongst staff and no signed information for deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users are all barriers that can lead to stress, missed journeys and seriously affect people’s confidence when using public transport.

That’s why RNID is asking people who are deaf and have hearing loss to take part in a major survey. Whether you use public transport regularly, or avoid it altogether, your answers will be invaluable and help us work with transport providers, policymakers and technology companies to push for real, lasting improvements.

The survey, which closes on the 13th April, is part of a major project funded by the Motability Foundation and can be accessed here: www.rnid.org.uk/transport-survey

Kind regards,

Victoria Boelman,
Director of Insight and Policy,
RNID – the national charity supporting the 18 million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.