TransPennine Express (TPE) has launched two new, transformative tech innovations that are set to majorly enhance passenger accessibility across its network, drastically improving the experience for those who are blind, visually impaired, autistic or anxious.
These two technological advancements, My Station View and GoodMaps Explore, have been designed to enhance passenger navigation throughout the north, representing the next step in TPE’s accessibility push after introducing British Sign Language (BSL) message boards and a BSL interpretation service in ticket offices earlier this year.
Kathryn O’Brien, Customer Service and Operations Director at TransPennine Express, said:
“These two revolutionary technologies have been launched in our 19 managed stations to make rail travel more accessible for people who are blind, visually impaired, have mobility issues, are autistic or have anxiety.
“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we are doing all we can to make our network as inclusive and as accessible as possible. We’re committed to enhancing accessibility with innovations such as My Station View and GoodMaps to ensure our customers feel confident travelling with us at all times.”
My Station View is a pre-departure tool that enables customers to experience a virtual tour of the station that they are visiting, providing a proactive approach to navigating the network, thus providing passengers with more confidence for autonomous travel.
This technology operates through providing a 360-degree virtual view of the station, allowing passengers to map out their entire journey from the entrance all the way to the required platform. My Station View also enables passengers to explore the interior of the TPE trains themselves, aiding them to identify the priority seats and other on-board facilities.
GoodMaps Explore provides an accurate navigation for customers that are blind or visually impaired, affording the ability to receive turn-by-turn navigation instructions that direct the customer to station platforms and points of interest. The app works via pinpointing a customer’s location through their phone camera, then providing accurate directions to help navigation of the station in a safe manner.
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