Smartphone app guides blind and partially sighted passengers round railway stations
Blind and partially sighted rail passengers can now use their smartphones to get around four major stations in Sussex thanks to work by Southern, Thameslink, national sight loss charity Thomas Pocklington Trust and local Sight Loss Councils.
Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! nowand live on Freeview channel 276
The app, named Aira, connects people to trained agents in North America who look through the camera lens of the passenger's phone to give directions over its loudspeaker.
Launched last year at Brighton, free use of the app has now been extended to Haywards Heath, Chichester and Eastbourne, as well as eight other stations across the wider network of parent company Govia Thameslink Railway- (GTR).
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdGTR’s Accessibility Lead, Carl Martin, said: “We want everyone to be able to use our services, regardless of their disability or need for assistance.