East Midlands Railway (EMR) has launched online virtual tours of several stations to help customers plan their journey, particularly benefiting disabled and anxious customers.
The virtual tours, which currently include Derby, Sheffield, Nottingham, Lincoln, and Kettering stations are designed to help customers travel with confidence. Using 360-degree photography, users will be able to virtually navigate all the public spaces at the stations.
Alongside being able to navigate the stations, customers can access information about all public areas of the stations, including toilets, customer service desks, platforms, as well as other areas such as car parks and drop-off locations.
Photo Credit: East Midlands Railway
The web-based virtual tours also offer customers the option to navigate the stations using either Autopilot or Manual controls.
The "Autopilot" tool enables users to select their desired destination within each station and be automatically guided to it. Alternatively, users can choose manual navigation through a series of clicks if they prefer a more hands-on approach.
EMR took feedback on the development of the project from its Accessibility Panel, a group of disabled customers who regularly use EMR’s services.
Georgie Hill-Jones, a member of the panel, said: "Virtual maps of EMR stations are going to make such a difference to passengers - especially disabled passengers. Having the ability to understand the layout of the station ahead of time will enable them to make better decisions about their time there with less anxiety and more confidence."
Photo Credit: East Midlands Railway
Emma Davis, head of customer experience at East Midlands Railway, said: "We know many of customers can often feel anxious about taking a trip, especially if they have extra accessibility needs or haven't travelled in a while.
"We hope these virtual tours provide a useful tool for customers when they are planning their journey."
The virtual tours are available on the EMR website. In addition to the virtual tours, EMR has also taken other steps to improve accessibility for disabled customers, including installing lifts and ramps at all stations, providing accessible toilets and changing facilities and training staff on how to assist disabled customers.
Main Photo Credit: Istock
