Go North East has introduced onboard audio-visual announcements to over 60 of its buses.
The operator teamed-up with local Sony Radio Award winning DJs, Metro Radio DJs Steve and Karen and Real Radio’s Gary and Lisa, to record the voices for on board TV screens which announce current stops, destinations and next stops.
The operator highlighted the work of charity for the blind and partially sighted, Guide Dogs, which recently published ‘The Road to Nowhere Survey’, campaigning to make all buses ‘talking buses’. Go North East is working with Guide Dogs and RNIB to make using its services easier for blind and partially sighted users. This includes the audio visual announcements, joint developments in driver training and awareness and customer events to educate all bus users of the importance of these initiatives.
Go North East has introduced the announcements on its Red Arrows, Quaylink, Angel, TEN and Simplicity services. These buses cover the four main corridors in and out of Newcastle and also Sunderland and Newcastle city centres. Plans are in place to introduce this to further services in 2014.
Stephen King, Marketing and Sales Manager, Go North East, said: “We are always looking for ways to improve our service to customers and AV announcements make travelling by bus so much easier for many passengers – not just those that are bind and partially sighted but those who are new to our services too.”
Guide Dogs’ Campaigns Manager, David Cowdrey, said: “The system will make travelling around the north east much easier for blind and partially sighted people, tourists and many others.”
