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NHS and vulnerable travellers

Helping the NHS assist disabled travellers on public transport, without creating another complicated app.

There are more than 13 million people in the UK registered disabled, and around 3 million adults with hidden disabilities – dementia, autism and anxiety to name a few. For them, using public transport can be a nightmare.

In brief

The NHS asked Zipabout to help them assist disabled travellers with public transport navigation and planning. Originally, their objective was to create an app, but this isn’t an audience with expensive smartphones.

So, we set about developing a stand-alone, wearable device that would give step-by-step advice and journey support - without the user having to press a single button.

Working with Guide Dogs for the Blind, The Community Transport Association, the Rail Delivery Group and GWR, we developed a personalised journey planner that takes away all barriers to understanding, but has just about everything a disabled traveller needs to feel secure.

The impact

Trialled on GWR’s Cotswold line, we’ve had amazing feedback that’s helping us improve and refine the planner for all types of transport, with large-scale commercial trials coming up.