Better bus stops are needed to help disabled people travel

15 October 2026

No stopping us now: Towards accessible bus stops for all highlights that only 15 per cent of people with visual impairments and 18 per cent of those with mobility impairments find it easy to use bus stops. The report found that bus stops and the infrastructure around them, including shelters, streets layout and public space, need significant improvements to give disabled people improved access to bus services.

No stopping us now: Towards accessible bus stops for all looks at the door-to-door, ‘whole journey’ experience of disabled people to explore the barriers to bus use. It identifies problems including:

• A lack of real-time information at bus stops, or information that is illegible or not available in the format required by disabled people
• Lack of dropped kerbs to get to bus stops, or insufficient space at bus stops for wheelchair and mobility scooter users to manoeuvre
• Lacking or inadequate seating
• Difficulties boarding, including problems with kerb height and obstructions in boarding areas
• Inadequate pedestrian and wheeled mobility access to bus stops, including pavements that are obstructed, badly lit, narrow and poorly maintained.

Silviya Barrett of Campaign for Better Transport said:

“Bus stops and shelters are the gateway to bus travel, but too many are inaccessible, and this is holding disabled people back. Disabled people make only a third as many journeys per week as the national average across all transport modes. Better bus stops can transform lives by giving disabled people greater independence and access to work, education, essential services and their communities.

“The good news is, we know how to make bus stops more accessible. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, there are a range of practical measures that can be adapted to local circumstances. Local authorities and their partners need to review what improvements are needed and be given the resources they need to plan and deliver these over time.”

Improvements that can make a real difference include:

• Pavements clear of obstructions
• Safe crossings, dropped kerbs and tactile paving to access the bus stop
• A reinforced, flat and solid ground surface built around a bus stop to provide a clean, stable, and accessible waiting and boarding area, wide enough to manoeuvre a wheelchair
• Bench-style seats with back and arm rests
• Audio-visual display screens showing real-time information
• Proximity technology, so that an audio announcement—or access to online information—is triggered by a person’s proximity.

No stopping us now: Towards accessible bus stops for all divides bus stops into four categories, ranging from major termini to ‘alight-only’ stops. Different accessibility features will be suitable for each category. However, the report argues that all bus stops where people can board a bus should have certain features as a minimum, including step-free access, wide enough space to manoeuvre a wheelchair, printed timetables, and a way to access online information.

No stopping us now: Towards accessible bus stops for all is supported by React Accessibility. Keith Willis, from React Accessibility Ltd, said:

“Accessible bus stops are essential for an inclusive bus network. Infrastructure and information need to be considered as one, available to all. True accessibility means disabled passengers can travel with the same independence and confidence as anyone else: knowing where to go, knowing when their bus is coming, and being able to act on that information without relying on anyone else.”

Dr Emma Partlow, Chief Executive of the National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat), said:

“Our evidence tells us that barriers to bus travel begin before a passenger boards. Safe access to stops, suitable seating and information are essential for accessible travel. ncat’s evidence has informed this report’s recommendations. Putting these into practice through early engagement and co-production with disabled people could ensure bus stops meet passengers’ needs.”

Matt Ashton, Managing Director of Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus, said:

“We know that accessibility depends on more than the bus itself. As this report highlights, bus stops, information, vehicles and customer support must work together to provide a seamless journey. By acting on the report’s recommendations and continuing to listen and work in partnership with disabled people, we can create a transport network that better meets the needs of all passengers and benefits all those who rely on it.”

Lydia Horbury, Chief Executive of passenger champions Bus Users UK, said:

“Accessibility is about far more than infrastructure. Through our work representing bus passengers, we regularly hear how human interaction and driver behaviour can shape someone’s entire travel experience. The way a driver interacts with a passenger can make the difference between feeling confident enough to travel independently and feeling unable to make the journey at all. Simple actions, such as stopping in the right place, allowing sufficient time to board, communicating clearly and treating every passenger with patience and respect, can make a profound difference. We must get the practical things right, while remembering that an accessible bus service is ultimately delivered by people, for people.”

No stopping us now: Towards accessible bus stops for all includes examples of good practice, such as Portsmouth’s Super Stops, with smart lighting and ergonomically designed seating, and new stops in London that have a dedicated wheelchair user waiting space and a designated priority seat.

The report also highlights technology including audio-visual displays that provide real-time bus information. Audio announcements can be activated both automatically and manually, for instance via a passenger’s phone or personal key fob and via a high colour-contrast communal pushbutton. Audio volume can be automatically adjusted based on ambient noise levels.

To provide a positive experience, the report emphasises that infrastructure improvements must also be matched by genuine co-design with disabled people and improved driver training and passenger awareness.

ENDS

For further information please contact the press office on 07984 773 468 (calls only no texts) or communications@bettertransport.org.uk.

Notes to Editors

1. Read the full report, No stopping us now: Towards accessible bus stops for all.
2. Disabled people make an average of just 5.84 journeys per week, a third of the national average. (Source: Transport For All)
3. Forty per cent of disabled bus users have experienced inadequate bus stops, including lack of seating, lack of shelter, and inaccessible street space. (Source: Transport For All)
4. Thirty-seven per cent report a lack of real-time information at stops, including on delays, cancellations, and vehicle faults. (Source: Transport For All)
5. Fifty per cent of disabled people report difficulty navigating routes due to a lack of dropped kerbs. (Source: Transport For All)
6. Only 15 per cent of people with visual impairments and 18 per cent of those with mobility impairments find it easy to use bus shelters. (Source: Transport Focus)
7. Campaign for Better Transport operates in England and Wales. Campaign for Better Transport’s vision is for all communities to have access to high-quality, sustainable transport that meets their needs, improves quality of life, reduces inequality, and supports a vibrant, productive and decarbonised economy. Campaign for Better Transport Charitable Trust is a registered charity (1101929).