Cities Unlocked

Where a station has an information desk finding a member of staff can just be a matter of arriving at the desk. Where this is not the case finding a staff member can be more difficult as it can be difficult to predict where they will be. For people with some usable vision railway staff’s high visibility jackets can help with this. Once a member of staff has been located how long it will take for someone who can assist to appear is again difficult to predict increasing anxiety. The availability of assistance can also vary throughout a day with assistance difficult to obtain at rush hour.

Implications:
The process of obtaining assistance when arriving at a station is unpredictable and can be a source of anxiety and stress.

Opportunities:
Digital tools that integrate with a station staff’s workflow and allow a person with sight loss who needs assistance to announce themselves and be located by the staff could eliminate many of these problems.