On Saturday 30 September, First West of England will host a ‘Meet the Bus’ event at its Lawrence Hill depot to give people who live with a visual impairment the chance to meet the team, learn more about different bus models and get a better understanding of the support that drivers can provide on board. Attendees will be able to experience boarding and moving around different vehicles, and First staff, including drivers, trainers and depot managers, will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the access requirements for passengers who have a visual impairment.
Operations Director at First West of England Amanda Eastaugh said: “Travelling on public transport can present challenges for those living with a disability, so it is important that we do as much as we can to make them feel safe and comfortable when using our buses. One way we can do this is by providing a safe space for them to explore our vehicles, and talk to the staff who may greet them on their day-to-day travelling. If there’s anything we can do to improve our guidance on travelling with a visual impairment for both customers and drivers alike, come along to our ‘Meet the Bus’ day and let us know.”
The event is one of a number hosted by First West of England to help those with sight issues; recently the company took one of its buses to New College Worcester, which specialises in students who are blind or vision-impaired, and it also recently hosted Bristol Sight Loss Council at the city’s bus station to understand more how its members use the facilities, and understand where the company might be able to make improvements.
