Meet the Bus with Merseyside Sight Loss Council and Arriva
Friday 25 September 10:00am - 3:00pm
Church Street at the junction with Parker Street, Liverpool City Centre
Blind and partially sighted people are invited to join Merseyside Sight Loss Council and Arriva for a free Meet the Bus event in Liverpool city centre.
The event is being held as part of Catch the Bus Month, a national campaign that highlights the importance of buses in helping people stay connected to their communities.
Attendees will have the opportunity to explore an Arriva bus in a relaxed and supportive environment, meet drivers and staff, ask questions and share their experiences of travelling by bus. This event builds on the ongoing partnership between Sight Loss Councils and Arriva to make bus travel more accessible for blind and partially sighted people.
During the event, you will:
- Explore an Arriva bus: Familiarise yourself with the layout of the bus, including seating, handrails, stop buttons, and entrances and exits.
- Meet Arriva drivers and staff: Learn more about bus travel and speak to the people who operate local services.
- Ask questions about travelling by bus: Find out more about boarding, requesting stops, and travelling with confidence.
- Share your experiences and feedback: Talk directly to drivers and staff about the challenges blind and partially sighted people can experience when travelling by bus.
- Build your confidence: Explore the bus in a relaxed and supportive environment without the pressure of travelling on a live service.
This free event aims to help blind and partially sighted people feel more confident and informed when using bus services. We particularly welcome people who are new to independent travel, have recently experienced sight loss or are currently reluctant or infrequent bus users.
Event details
- Date: Friday, 25 September 2026
- Time: 10am to 3pm
- Location: Church Street at the junction with Parker Street, Liverpool city centre
- Meeting point: The bus will be located on Church Street at the junction with Parker Street. Merseyside Sight Loss Council and Arriva staff will be there to welcome you and help you find the bus.
- Please book in advance, as places are limited.
- Are you bringing a guide or companion? If so, they will need to book a separate place under their name. This is to help us manage numbers for the size of the venue.
Book your place
Places are free but must be booked in advance. Booking closes at 12pm on Wednesday 23 September 2026.
Further information about the meeting point and how to find us will be provided when you book. Should you have any questions or require assistance finding the meeting point, please contact Kelly Barton on 07508 958 938.
Why attend?
Kelly Barton, Engagement Manager for the North West Sight Loss Councils, said:
“For many blind and partially sighted people, using a bus can feel daunting, particularly if they haven’t travelled independently before or have recently experienced sight loss.
“Meet the Bus gives people the chance to explore a bus at their own pace, ask questions and speak directly to the people driving our buses.
“It’s also a great opportunity for drivers to hear directly from blind and partially sighted passengers about their experiences. That two-way conversation is really important and we hope the event will help more people feel confident about travelling by bus.”
Mike Wright, Merseyside Sight Loss Council volunteer, added:
“Accessible public transport is vital in helping blind and partially sighted people maintain both their independence and wellbeing.
“If our Meet the Bus event can reassure people and help them gain confidence, it has the makings of a really productive session.”
Tom Sunley, Operations Director at Arriva, said:
“This is another great part of the relationship we continue to develop between Arriva and Merseyside Sight Loss Council. I really hope we can continue our work together to make our buses and drivers more accessible and ensure customers with sight loss feel comfortable when travelling with us.
“The more we can do to make journeys accessible and comfortable for our customers, the better. If this event means we can assist our regular customers and give confidence to those who don’t normally travel by bus, that would be a wonderful outcome.”
About Sight Loss Councils
Sight Loss Councils are led by blind and partially sighted members. Together, they tackle local issues and work with businesses and service providers to improve the accessibility of their services.
Photography and video
During registration, we will ask you to confirm whether you are happy to appear in photographs, videos or images from the event. We may use these materials for promotional purposes, to raise the profile of our work and to share information and good practice. Please note that, if you do not wish to appear, you may still feature in the background of some images.
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