New regulations mean that operators will need to make sure their fleets are compliant with requirements from 2026
Safety systems specialist Ardent has launched an induction hearing loop system designed to support coach and bus operators in meeting their legal and ethical obligations to promote inclusion among transport users.
Launched in January 2024, Ardent says the technology, named ClearConnect, has been designed to empower passengers with deafness, making travel more accessible by delivering clear information, including ‘next stop’ announcements and driver communications directly to their hearing aids, in support of the greater accessibility requirements of the new Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023, which states that all coaches and buses operated as local services across England, Scotland, and Wales must be fitted with a hearing loop system.
Applicable to all newly manufactured vehicles, the regulations also stipulate that vehicles first used between January 1973 and September 2014 should be retrofitted, with operators having until 2026 to comply.
The legislation is intended to have three distinct impacts: to ensure disabled people have access to consistent on-board information, to provide operators with flexibility in how they comply, and to create wider benefits for society by enhancing the appeal of bus and coach services for all passengers.
Head of sales at Ardent Emma Kirk commented: “It’s vital the correct equipment is in place. Sub-par systems and a failure to invest in levelling up a customer’s experience can serve as a sign that inclusivity isn’t high on a provider’s agenda, reflecting poorly upon a company’s reputation. That’s why, at every stage of ClearConnect’s design, we’ve put the passenger at the forefront, creating a system that’s fit for purpose, and uses the latest technology to ensure the best possible user experience.”
Commenting on the technical aspect of the hearing loop, Andrew Thomas, Market Development Director at Contacta, the firm behind the design of ClearConnect, and chairman at both the International Hearing Loop Manufacturers Association (IHLMA) and International Hearing Access Committee (IHAC), said: “A hearing loop that works successfully can be life changing for users of a bus service. We’ve worked with end-users, vehicle manufacturers, and service operators to ensure that the system is highly effective and meets the international performance standards for hearing loops.
“Minimising unwanted sound interference is key, so that those tuning into the hearing loop to obtain vital information are able to hear clearly. By doing so, we’re able to help service providers fulfil their accessibility obligations.”
To evidence how the hearing loop empowers hearing aid users, Ardent says that a trial of the system at Brighton & Hove Buses by 15 deaf passengers from the Royal National Institute for Deaf People passed the technology with flying colours.
