Beyond Ramps: Reimagining Truly Accessible Transport

Mobility can't be inclusive if it's invisible. For many, the biggest barrier to travel isn't step-free access, it's information that arrives too late, interfaces that overwhelm, or systems that simply weren't designed with their needs in mind. 

I've spent years working in transport innovation, and I've observed a troubling pattern: we often solve for what we can see, while overlooking the barriers that remain hidden. 

When we discuss transport accessibility, the conversation typically centres around physical infrastructure. But true accessibility extends far beyond ramps and lifts. 

The Invisible Barriers 

The most pervasive barriers in our transport systems aren't always physical they're informational, digital, and psychological. 

Consider how disruption information is communicated. Operators often assume that posting updates to apps, websites, or screens is sufficient. This overlooks how non-visible accessibility needs intersect with information delivery. 

Neurodiverse travellers may plan journeys with high precision to avoid unexpected changes. When a platform changes and that update arrives late or in a confusing format, it can trigger stress that makes the journey impossible, even when physical access exists. 

Studies show that 60% of people underestimate how many disabled people there actually are in the UK, leading to accessibility being seen as a niche concern rather than a universal design priority. Research shows that inaccessible information and inflexible customer services are among the most common barriers reported. 

The failure isn't service delivery or physical access. It's the assumption that everyone can flexibly interpret disruption and adapt in real time. 

Smart ticketing platforms present another challenge. Designed for speed and assumed digital fluency, they can overwhelm users who struggle with information presentation or ambiguous restrictions. Does anyone truly understand when "Super Off-Peak" applies across operators? 

The core issue: when planners design for "average" users, they inadvertently build barriers into the system. 

Innovation Through Constraint 

The very challenges posed by accessibility needs can force us to design better, more user-centered systems for all. 

Consider step-free access: Ramps, lifts, and level boarding were originally championed for people with mobility impairments. Once installed, they improve experiences for parents with prams, travellers with heavy luggage, elderly people, cyclists, or anyone with a temporary injury. 

The constraint becomes a catalyst for universal benefit. 

This applies equally to digital environments. Simplifying ticketing interfaces to help neurodiverse users reduces stress for time-pressured commuters and international visitors navigating unfamiliar systems. 

Accessibility needs highlight what's confusing, inconsistent, or unwelcoming. By addressing these friction points, we raise the standard of usability and dignity for everyone. 

Designing with constraint doesn't limit innovation. It directs innovation to be more thoughtful, inclusive, and valuable across the board. 

Promising Solutions Emerging 

Some transport providers are leading the way with innovative approaches to these invisible barriers. 

In Japan, rail operators provide highly visual real-time signage showing platform and carriage crowding, reducing anxiety for those who prefer predictability. This happens in Great Britain too, but international examples highlight how visual information can overcome language barriers. 

In Great Britain, some operators use WhatsApp for disruption updates, offering a lower-stress way to receive real-time information. The real progress comes when systems let users customise how and when they receive updates, returning control to the traveller. This is why I advocate for open data feeds made available through channels like the Rail Data Marketplace to enable passengers to curate the information they receive through their own preferred mobility platform. 

Research shows that real-time transit information can dramatically improve accessibility and reduce wait times. One study found that average wait times at transit stops were reduced by about three minutes with real-time information, and network-level stop coverage increased by 37%. 

Human Touch Meets Technology 

The future of accessible transport isn't about choosing between technology and human assistance. It's about designing systems where both work together seamlessly. 

Technology excels at consistency, scale, and efficiency. It can deliver information in accessible formats, automate ticketing, or offer personalised routing. 

Yet even the most advanced tools can't replace the situational judgment and empathy of well-trained staff. During disruption, edge cases, or for travellers with complex needs, human ability to interpret context, offer reassurance, and take responsibility makes the biggest difference. 

Real progress will come from blending the two. Station staff equipped with passenger-facing data can better assist travellers in real time. Mobility apps that allow users to request help at certain points can notify staff ahead of time, making assistance proactive rather than reactive. 

The goal shouldn't be removing people from the system. It should be removing friction, so travellers get the right support at the right time, from the right source. 

Breaking Down Silos 

One of the biggest challenges in making technology and human assistance work seamlessly is that they're often designed in silos. Teams building apps might have little contact with teams running station operations or customer service. 

A passenger might flag an urgent need through an app while in a station, but if station staff don't receive that alert, the moment is lost. A lift might be out of service, but if that update only appears on an internal dashboard and not in public journey planners, passengers are left stranded. 

These gaps create friction not because tools or staff are failing, but because the system wasn't designed to let them work together. 

The solution isn't just better tech or more staff, it's integration. 

The Digital Divide 

Digital-first solutions offer incredible potential for personalisation, efficiency, and accessibility. But when treated as digital-only solutions, they risk deepening divides. 

Not everyone has a smartphone, data plan, or confidence to navigate complex apps and interfaces. That doesn't mean they deserve a second-class transport experience. 

There's also a question of trust. Some passengers avoid digital tools not from inability, but from scepticism about surveillance, cost, or complexity. 

Research confirms this concern, showing that simply having a smartphone isn't enough. Users also need battery, data, and knowledge to navigate the digital world of transport services. Those most at risk include older adults, underage people, those with lower income or education levels, and people from minorities. 

We need to respect these realities and ensure transport systems build in user agency and transparency. 

Cross-Modal Learning 

Rail teaches us the value of predictability and legibility, structured information, consistent layouts, and support services that give passengers confidence. These principles apply across all transport modes. 

Bus networks could adopt clearer signage and consistent stop design. Air travel's strong focus on wayfinding and staff presence is something rail can learn from, especially at air-rail interchanges. Micromobility services could benefit from better mapping of permitted zones, standardised terminology, and creation of local micro-hubs. 

The key takeaway: accessibility is less about any one mode, and more about how modes connect and communicate. It's no use removing barriers to the rail network if a brick wall appears as soon as you leave the station. 

Co-Creation: Beyond Consultation 

Meaningful co-creation goes far beyond a single consultation event or feedback form. It's about bringing user experience into planning and service delivery from the start. 

In practice, this means creating structures where users and advocacy groups are involved from the beginning as equal partners. Instead of presenting a nearly-final station design to a disability advisory panel for comments, co-creation invites those individuals to help shape the brief: What problems should this design solve? What features are essential for day-to-day confidence? 

This approach isn't revolutionary it's simply good practice that needs wider recognition. The establishment of Great British Railways may provide an opportunity to adopt this approach across all projects. 

The Future: Agentic Systems 

One of the most promising developments is the rise of agentic AI intelligent, context-aware systems that don't just provide information but can take action on a user's behalf. 

Imagine a personalised travel concierge that understands your access needs, plans routes accordingly, and adapts in real time if something changes rerouting you, rebooking connections, or notifying staff when support is needed. 

This technology has real potential to address invisible barriers, particularly for those experiencing anxiety, cognitive load, or needing higher reassurance when traveling. It shifts the burden away from individuals constantly having to explain or adapt, allowing the system to flex around them instead. 

Combined with better real-time data and open platforms, these tools could be powerful equalisers offering agency and comfort currently available only to those who know the system inside out. 

The key will be ensuring this technology is designed inclusively from the start, with strong user governance built in. 

Moving Forward 

True transport accessibility requires us to look beyond what's visible. It demands that we consider how information flows, how interfaces work, how staff are empowered, and how different parts of the system connect. 

By addressing these invisible barriers, we don't just make transport better for those with specific access needs we make it better for everyone. 

The path forward isn't about choosing between physical accessibility, digital solutions, or human assistance. It's about integrating all three into a seamless system that adapts to users rather than forcing users to adapt to it. 

That's the future of truly accessible transport: inclusive not just in infrastructure, but in every interaction.