Hopes £4.65m Government investment will improve bus accessibility in North East

A multi-million pound investment to help small bus operators upgrade their vehicles to be more accessible has been hailed as “fantastic” by campaigners.

A total of £4.65 million has been made available to help smaller companies implement live audio and visual updates, ensuring all passengers stay informed about their route and current stop. The Government say “state-of-the-art” technology will be installed that will both display and announce information clearly for all passengers, including those with sight and hearing impairments.

It is estimated that outfitting each bus with the new technology will cost between £1,400 and £1,500. Concerns arose that small companies might struggle to meet these costs before the October 2026 deadline.

It comes after regulations were announced last year that required all bus operators across the country to provide high quality, accessible announcements across their networks, to ensure disabled people are not “left in the dark” when it comes to using public transport. The Government introduced this round of funding to ensure operators can comply with the new regulations by the 2026 deadline.

Hexham MP and Roads Minister Guy Opperman visited Blyth on Monday to launch the scheme. The minister rode a bus to demonstrate the new technology along with campaigners from Guide Dogs UK.

However, not everything went to plan as the technology on the first bus failed to work, meaning the group had to board a second vehicle.

Speaking to the local democracy reporting service, Mr Opperman said: “We want buses to be accessible to everyone in a considerate way. Modern buses are already fully compliant, but smaller operators will really benefit from this money.

“The number of people using the bus since Covid is bouncing back and the £2 fare was a massive step forward. In the Tyne Valley it has been transformative and it’s particularly helpful for those on low incomes.

“If someone is visually impaired, they have got to have the confidence that every bus will be compliant. It is the confidence to make a series of journeys.

“That requires planning and a degree of trust with operators. I can only imagine how daunting it must be to get on a bus and not know for certain where it’s going or when to get off, which is why we introduced new rules to ensure all buses provide this information in an accessible way.”

Phillip Ward, a family support worker at Guide Dogs, has a visual impairment and has been campaigning for the measures to be brought in.

He said: “I think it is going to be fantastic. It’s really good to have that confidence when you’re getting on a bus that you know when to get off, rather than having to rely on the driver or a member of the public.

“In the back of your mind, there is always a bit of doubt. To me, it’s going to make a big difference. Guide Dogs and other organisations have been looking to get this introduced for 10 years.

“It’s fantastic to have achieved that, so credit to the campaigns team.”