The Motability Foundation has awarded grant-funding to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Community Rail Network to explore the effectiveness of disability training received by rail staff across the UK, and develop innovative new models of raising disability awareness. It will focus on supporting rail staff to improve how they communicate with and assist disabled people, with the ultimate aim of making rail travel more accessible and inclusive for disabled travellers.
The Motability Foundation is grant-funding this project as research it conducted as part of its 2023 innovation priorities review also found insufficient staff assistance is a barrier to many disabled people accessing public transport. This was a particular issue when travelling by train.
The two-year project is called ‘On track for inclusive train travel: a model for engaging disabled people with rail workforce culture change’. The project will involve initial research into existing training for rail staff and the experiences of disabled people when travelling by train. These research findings will then be used to develop and pilot new innovations that address disability awareness and assistance for disabled passengers travelling by rail.
This multi-partnership project will be delivered in unison by RNIB, Community Rail Network – the membership body for over 75 community rail partnerships – and two community rail partnerships – Community Rail Lancashire and GO Community Rail Partnership (Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire).
Throughout the project partners will be consulting, engaging and involving disabled people and disability groups in every aspect of the process, from scoping and research to design and delivery. The partnership will also collaborate and work closely with multiple railway operator partners engaging and involving them throughout the different stages.
Detailed learnings and recommendations from the pilot will be collated and shared at the end of the project in 2026.
Bill Freeman, interim chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “We’re delighted to be getting this important programme underway, as the railway marks its 200th anniversary and embarks on a period of major transformation.
“We know from our members’ experiences of working with disabled people that too many feel excluded from our railway. we also see up-close the incredible benefits of listening to and learning from disabled people’s experiences and involving them in shaping the changes we all want to see.
“Our members and colleagues across the rail industry will, like us, appreciate the support of the Motability Foundation in enabling Community Rail Network and our community rail partners to bring some fresh thinking to this important issue.
“Ultimately, we’re working towards a truly inclusive railway, where all disabled people can access public transport and the opportunities this opens up.”
Hannah McDonnell, executive director at GOCRP, and Katie Douglas, accessibility & inclusion officer at Community Rail Lancashire, said: “We are delighted to be contributing to this important project, where each partner brings unique skills and insights to create meaningful impact. As community rail partnerships, we are uniquely positioned to engage with and represent diverse voices from our communities, particularly those who are often underrepresented and face the most significant barriers to travel.
“Our established relationships with both local disabled people and our rail industry partners enable us to facilitate constructive dialogue and drive positive change. Through carefully managed engagement that respects all perspectives, we aim to build empathy, understanding, and practical solutions that will make rail travel truly inclusive for everyone in our communities.”
Nicola Gampell, Innovation Manager at the Motability Foundation said: “Through this project we want to uncover the challenges with existing models of raising disability awareness in the rail sector and pilot innovative ways of addressing these. We hope that this can help to make rail journeys more accessible and inclusive for disabled people.”
“Working with disabled people and the rail sector will be crucial to this project, so we’re excited to have grant-funded RNIB and Community Rail Network to deliver it with their significant shared expertise in these areas.”
Jim Sanders, Director of Transformation at RNIB says “We know from our previous Motability Foundation funded research project that 35% of blind and partially sighted people are not able to make the journeys on public transport they want, when they want to. This project will enable us to tackle, at source, the issues people with sight loss experience when travelling, and create a step change in the attitudes and understanding of rail staff to the needs of blind and partially sighted and disabled travellers.
“We are excited to be working with Community Rail Network and Motability Foundation on this innovative project and the opportunities this project will create for us to make a real difference in this area”.
