Working to make transport more accessible
The National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) is a £20 million project funded by the Motability Foundation, working in collaboration with Coventry University as the lead partner, alongside fellow charity Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) and organisations Connected Places Catapult, Policy Connect and WSP.
Research conducted by Motability shows that disabled people in the UK currently make 25% fewer journeys than non-disabled people – a figure that hasn’t changed in the last decade. This impacts disabled people’s access to healthcare, employment, education and social activities.
This needs to change.
ncat wants to create a barrier-free transport system, through commissioning robust evidence and actively listening to the voices and expertise of disabled people. Combining deep subject matter expertise and research credibility with a genuine respect for the lived experiences of disabled people.
Translating Research into Design Opportunities
People need greater independence, confidence and dignity when travelling. We carried out a programme of discovery research and user engagement with disabled people to explore the challenges faced by people when using public transport.
The result? Eight practical, human-centred design opportunities to inform industry on potential accessibility improvements for disabled travellers.
The Design Opportunities
Redesign bus stops to improve navigation, information, and the overall passenger experience. Enhance wayfinding, bus identification, waiting and boarding comfort, and adaptability across settings and locations to create a more seamless and inclusive travel journey.
Redesign bus interiors to be more flexible, intuitive and inclusive for disabled passengers. Improve spatial layout, seating options, and sensory experience, so that interiors can better support comfort, independence, and confident movement for passengers with diverse access needs.
Make live travel information more accessible, reliable and personalised. Help passengers travel with greater certainty, independence, and spontaneity with more adaptive, multi-format information systems.
Make train stations more navigable, predictable and inclusive. Enhance wayfinding, signage, spatial organisation, and facilities to support safe and independent movement through busy and complex environments.
Build greater public awareness of diverse and often non-visible access needs. Thoughtful communication and cultural messaging can foster empathy, reduce misunderstanding, and support more respectful and confident interactions in shared travel spaces.
Improve travel assistance services so that support feels more consistent, visible and user-driven across transport modes. The aim is to better integration of technology and frontline practice to help shift experiences from dependence toward autonomy and confidence.
Identify and amplify inclusive transport solutions that already work well in practice. Share practical and replicable examples to help organisations adopt proven approaches with greater consistency, confidence and impact.
Create clearer, more transparent expectations between disabled passengers and transport staff. Improve communication, training, and service principles to help journeys feel more reliable, respectful and mutually understood.
Find out more
You will find the full details for each of the design opportunities over on the ncat website. There is also an opportunity to catch-up with a recent webinar from our team.