Vista launches new initiative to help those with sight loss in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to use local transport

On Thursday 30th March, we will launch our ‘On Board with Sight Loss' project, 11am to 1pm, in Humberstone Gate West, Leicester. Local transport operators and special guests will be in attendance to mark the launch of materials to educate bus, train, and taxi staff about the accessibility needs of people with sight loss.

Funded by the Department for Transport, as part of the Tackling Loneliness Fund, Vista is working in collaboration with GO Travel Solutions, a sustainable transport consultancy based in Leicester, to tackle loneliness in the lives of others by improving transport accessibility for the visually impaired.

Lesia Smaditch, Project Manager at Vista, commented “We are looking forward to welcoming local transport operators and the wider community as we launch ‘On Board with Sight Loss’ project, providing operators and their drivers with a range of training materials to help them understand how best to support passengers who have sight loss.”

Cliff Jones, Director of GO Travel Solutions, commented “It’s great to be working with Vista on such an important project. It has helped us understand the difficulties people with sight loss face, resulting in a collaborative approach to creating a range of initiatives to make public transport more accessible. It wouldn’t be possible without the support of local public transport operators, who are key to informing their staff on how best to support customers with sight loss.“

The final part of this initiative, to be delivered in Spring 2023, will see the allocation of £200,000 of funding to local transport hubs to make small changes to improve their accessibility – from talking bus stops to improved signage.

For further information, please contact Lesia Smaditch, Project Manager on 07715 078823 or at lesia.smaditch@vistablind.org.uk.