Avanti West Coast has partnered with GoodMaps to introduce new innovative wayfinding technology, to three more of its stations on the West Coast Main Line: Crewe, Stoke-on-Trent, and Rugby. This expansion further enhances the accessibility of Avanti West Coast's services, particularly for blind and visually impaired customers.
The new technology acts as a smartphone app that provides a static view of each station, allowing users to remotely explore the layout, identify key facilities, and plan their journey from entrance to destination. It also offers features specifically designed for people with disabilities, such as support for screen readers and the ability to select step-free routes.
Brandon Peat, accessibility and inclusion manager at Avanti West Coast said the technology "will provide a consistent experience for customers at both ends of their journey on the west coast and help to make their whole journey as seamless as possible."
This initiative aligns with Avanti West Coast's ongoing commitment to enhancing accessibility for all customers. In February, the company launched its industry-leading "Travel Companion" service, a dedicated communications channel to provide disabled customers with instant help during their journeys.
"Transport is a cornerstone of so much of life; be that in accessing employment, healthcare, social and leisure opportunities and more besides," said Neil Barnfather, chief commercial officer at GoodMaps. "A fundamental pillar of this lies in being able to access transport systems with ease, confidence and autonomy” and said the new technology would help “Avanti West Coast's commitment the network of locations people can travel to independently.
With the addition of these three stations, the technology is now available at six stations across the West Coast Main Line, offering a more accessible and independent travel experience for visually impaired and other disabled customers. Avanti West Coast aims to expand the availability of this technology to all of its stations in the near future.
Photo Credit: Avanti West Coast
