Accessibility improvements for buses in the East of Scotland

• On bus announcements now live on a number of Stagecoach buses in East Scotland
• On board technology supports disabled bus users to increase travel confidence
• Partial roll out has commenced, with all buses to be fitted by 2026.

On bus next-stop announcements are now live on around 70 Stagecoach buses in the East of Scotland.

The on-board announcements, both audible and visual, will improve accessibility in the region, increasing travel confidence for disabled users, whilst also supporting the many visitors to the region by providing clear route and stop information on board the bus. 

The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) guidelines require that all vehicles registered after October 2019 must have on board passenger announcements by 1st October 2024, with a deadline of October 2026 for all remaining vehicles.

Douglas Robertson, Managing Director, Stagecoach East Scotland said: “On-board announcements can provide so much clarity on the route the bus takes and the bus stops served.  It encourages independence for disabled users and supports access to public transport and community facilities.

“We’ve been working hard to ensure our vehicles comply with the new legislation. By installing the on-board equipment, creating the stop announcements and training staff to ensure the announcements on board are accurate, we’re delighted that our first batch of buses with the system are now live on the roads in Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Perth and Blairgowrie.  We’re working to roll this out to all our vehicles and are on track to ensure all vehicles have this useful system on board by 2026.”

The technology used on the Stagecoach buses works in tandem with the destination screen on the front of the vehicle. The driver sets the correct destination screen based on the route operated and the announcements are automatically played on board the bus to call out the next stops using GPS tracking. Drivers can even override the system when they require to operate on a diversion, so that the announcements remain accurate at all times.

Mr Robertson added: “The same GPS tracking on all our vehicles, powers the live bus times on our website and app. Now, not only can customers track our buses in real time, they can track progress on board too - visually via the Stagecoach Bus app, but also via the on-board announcements too.  This development will greatly increase confidence to travel and help customers know when to get off the bus.”

Thea Samuel from Vision PK said: "Travelling by bus can be particularly challenging for our service users. One of the main reasons they may avoid traveling alone by bus is their difficulty in knowing when to get off. The implementation of both visual and auditory bus stop announcements on Stagecoach buses is a fantastic improvement that will significantly support independent travel for people with sight and hearing loss."

All Stagecoach buses used on the electric city networks within Perth and Dunfermline now have the on-board announcements live, along with several new vehicles recently added to the Blairgowrie and Glenrothes area. Any new vehicles ordered by the bus company will also have the equipment on board and existing buses will be fitted with the equipment gradually.

More information on the local bus network is available at stagecoachbus.com.