The Travel Team have been working with Dhani from Avanti to support accessibility quality checks across stations on the West Coast Mainline in Cumbria. The work is all about sharing our knowledge, experience and understanding of disability and accessibility to help make train travel better for everyone.
Putting accessibility into practice
As part of the audit, the Travel Team tested different accessibility features at the station to see how they worked in practice. This included looking at what was helpful for passengers, what worked well, and what could be improved. Lou Townson, one of our Travel Champions, shared their experience of taking part:
“I thought the audit went well. We tried using the accessibility features on the station. Some worked well, such as the touchscreen kiosk, and some needed improvement and were reported. I particularly liked using the Goodmaps app in the station to help get around. The new electric-powered wheelchair was also good and fun to use.”
Lou Townson, Travel Champion
Sharing lived experience with Avanti
Working with Avanti has been a positive experience for the Travel Team. It has given us the chance to share our knowledge directly with the service and speak honestly about what accessibility looks like for disabled passengers using stations and public transport.
Dhani was very interested in the team’s ideas and took the time to listen to what people were saying. The team were able to talk about the improvements that could be made, as well as the things that were already working well.
Why working together matters
This kind of partnership is important because lived experience can help services understand what really makes a difference. By working together, we can help identify barriers, share practical feedback and support changes that make travel more accessible for everyone.
The Travel Team are looking forward to continuing this work with Dhani and Avanti in the future, helping to make sure accessibility is shaped by the people who use these services.