West Yorkshire Sight Loss Council partners with Guide Dogs and Arriva to improve bus travel accessibility
Bus travel accessibility is set to improve across Yorkshire thanks to a partnership between West Yorkshire Sight Loss Council, Guide Dogs, and Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT).
West Yorkshire Sight Loss Council recently delivered the first Bus Driver Vision Awareness Training session at Arriva Yorkshire’s Dewsbury depot. Attended by 16 drivers, the session explored the barriers blind and partially sighted (BPS) passengers can face and how drivers can provide effective support.
Participants pictured in front of a bus, at the bus driver vision awareness training session in Dewsbury.
Working together to improve bus travel accessibility
For many BPS people, buses are a vital link to work, education, healthcare, and social activities. However, barriers such as identifying the correct bus, knowing when it has arrived, finding a seat or asking for assistance can make journeys daunting and affect confidence and independence.
The training builds on TPT’s longstanding work with Arriva, which has seen elements of its award-winning vision impairment awareness training incorporated into the company’s Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) programme, In the Driving Seat.
Through a new partnership, TPT is being supported by Guide Dogs to deliver the Bus Driver Vision Awareness Training which includes sighted guiding, including practical demonstrations informed by the lived experiences of BPS people.
Drivers practise sighted guiding techniques when boarding a bus
Lived experience shapes driver training
During the session, West Yorkshire Sight Loss Council volunteers shared their experiences of travelling by bus with sight loss, giving drivers a first-hand understanding of the challenges passengers can encounter. Drivers also learnt about common eye conditions, audio-visual announcements, effective communication, and sighted guiding techniques, before taking part in practical exercises.
Iain Mitchell, Senior Engagement Manager for North England, at Thomas Pocklington Trust said:
“Our partnership with Guide Dogs has allowed us to have a greater reach across Yorkshire and Humberside. This training highlights to bus drivers how vital their role is in providing a positive experience for all visually impaired passengers.”
Kelle McParland, Sighted Guide Training Officer for Guide Dogs covering the North of England, added:
“For many people with sight loss, catching the bus can feel overwhelming. Simple things that many take for granted – knowing the right bus has arrived, finding a seat or asking for help – can become real barriers to travelling independently.
“By working alongside Thomas Pocklington Trust and Arriva, we’re helping drivers build the skills and confidence to support blind and partially sighted passengers, creating journeys that are more accessible, more welcoming and more inclusive for everyone.”
Kevin Lowe, Sites Manager for Arriva Yorkshire in Dewsbury and Heckmondwike, shared:
“The combination of classroom learning and practical exercises gave our team real insight into customers’ experiences and greater confidence to support people with sight loss while respecting their independence.”
Cathy Featherstone from Halifax, who uses buses weekly, said:
“Knowing drivers will better understand how to help someone with a vision impairment will make a real difference and give me more confidence to travel independently.”
Following the successful Dewsbury session, West Yorkshire Sight Loss Council volunteers will continue supporting efforts to improve the accessibility of bus travel, with further training planned across Yorkshire and beyond in partnership with Thomas Pocklington Trust and Guide Dogs UK.
Learn more about our partnership with Guide Dogs
A driver takes part in a vision awareness exercise on board an Arriva bus
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Passionate about making a difference? Want to influence positive change? Our Sight Loss Councils, led by blind and partially sighted volunteers, are recruiting new members. Join us today!
We use our lived experience to create positive change for others. Together, we tackle local issues and work with businesses and service providers to improve the accessibility of their services.
Join us to help ensure visually impaired people in your area can live the lives they want to lead.
Publication date: 16 September 2026