Four projects will share £800,000 towards the development of onboard technology to help coach fleets used on in-scope rail replacement services to comply with the PSV Accessible Information Regulations (AIR).
Details of that quadruplet of innovations is limited but the Department for Transport (DfT) says it will include a “3D animated avatar that allows passengers to ask questions through voice interactions or access audio via apps or QR codes.”
Artificial intelligence is said to form part of the projects that have been awarded funding via the contest run by Innovate UK. A new Bluetooth feature called Auracast is also referenced. It will deliver real-time information in a variety of accessible formats.
The competition was opened in late-2024 with an aim of developing affordable and user-friendly hardware and software solutions to provide accessible audio-visual information on coach fleets, and particularly those used on rail replacement.
Under guidance published then, each submission was required to work with a coach or bus operator and disability stakeholders. The budget at that time was up to £680,000.
Delivering AIR compliance on in-scope rail replacement coach services has long looked difficult. The requirement to comply was due to begin on 1 October 2024, but a temporary exemption from specific technical rules over audio and visual announcements for rail replacement coaches is now in place until July 2026.
DfT says that the funded projects “will offer flexible solutions that work in different vehicles, helping operators to meet the requirements set out in the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023.”
Speaking about the awards, Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood adds: “There are around 16 million disabled people in the UK and many depend on coach services to get around.
“It is vital that these services provide clear, accessible information for everyone, particularly on rail replacement journeys where the route and stops can change.
“To help rail replacement coach operators make this transition smoothly, we are providing £800,000 of funding as part of the government’s Plan for Change to explore technology that helps all passengers, regardless of their needs, to travel with confidence and independence.
“Public transport should be accessible for all and we are committed to making that a reality – clearing away barriers to growth.”
