More than three quarters of people who are deaf or have hearing loss experience accessibility barriers when using public transport, according to new research warning that inaccessible information is affecting people’s ability to travel independently.
The Clear Signals report, published by RNID with funding from the Motability Foundation, examines the experiences of deaf people and those with hearing loss across trains, buses, metros and trams in the UK.
It identifies access to real-time information as a significant problem, particularly when disruption or last-minute changes occur, alongside shortcomings in deaf awareness among customer-facing staff.
For the rail industry, the findings highlight that accessibility is not simply about the physical design of trains and stations. How information is communicated – particularly during disruption – can determine whether passengers are able to make journeys independently and confidently.
Three quarters experience accessibility barriers
RNID describes Clear Signals as the first published UK research focused specifically on the real-life experiences of deaf people and those with hearing loss when using public transport.
The findings suggest accessibility shortcomings are actively changing people’s travel behaviour.
Some 41% of respondents said barriers limit their independence, while 35% said they avoid public transport whenever possible.
Almost four in five – 79% – said they feel they have to remain ‘on alert’ during journeys, while 68% over-prepare and plan ahead because they anticipate encountering accessibility problems.
A further 83% said they build additional time into journeys because they cannot rely on receiving accessible information while travelling.
Real-time information remains a major barrier
One of the strongest themes emerging from the research is the difficulty passengers can face accessing information that is routinely delivered through audio announcements.
This becomes particularly important when normal journeys are disrupted and passengers need to respond quickly to platform alterations, cancellations, changes to stopping patterns or other information.
According to RNID, 76% of people who are deaf or have hearing loss said inaccessible information makes travelling stressful. Among British Sign Language users, that increased to 81%.
Charlotte Young, 44, from Carlisle, has hearing loss and wears a cochlear implant. She said: “I have to travel on public transport quite a lot. But if I’m travelling on my own, it can be quite nerve-wracking. It can make me anxious, because there are a lot of unknowns around announcements and train times changing.
“There’s a sense of having to rely on public transport and knowing that there’s going to be reactive changes, and it can be quite difficult to navigate that. There’s always a layer of nervousness if I’m travelling: ‘What if something happens and I don’t hear it? What if I miss something?’”
Her experience illustrates an important challenge for rail operators: information may technically be available to passengers without necessarily being accessible to everyone who needs it.
RNID calls for technology and training improvements
The report sets out a series of recommendations for government and transport organisations, including greater use of technology to make announcements accessible to passengers with hearing loss.
RNID highlights Auracast – a Bluetooth-based technology capable of transmitting audio to compatible hearing devices – as one potential solution.
It also calls for British Sign Language translation of real-time travel information and deaf awareness training for all customer-facing transport staff.
Victoria Boelman, Director of Insight and Policy at RNID, said: “No one relishes the idea of a rush-hour journey on public transport. But if you are deaf or have hearing loss, everyday journeys can seem like an impossible prospect that leave millions feeling lost, anxious and often, simply unable to get where they need to be.
“In 2026, it’s completely wrong that millions of people are at the mercy of a transport network that fails to meet their needs. Now is the time for coordinated action from the Government and transport sector, so everyone has the opportunity for safe and independent travel.”
Accessibility goes beyond physical infrastructure
For rail, the findings add to the industry’s wider challenge of making journeys accessible from beginning to end.
Much of the investment associated with accessibility is highly visible – including step-free access, lifts, ramps and improvements to the platform-train interface. Clear Signals highlights the importance of information accessibility alongside those physical interventions.
This is particularly relevant during disruption, when established journey plans can change rapidly and passengers become more dependent on announcements and staff.
The figures around additional planning are significant in that context. If 83% of respondents are allowing extra journey time because they cannot rely on accessible information, the impact of an accessibility barrier extends beyond whether somebody can physically board a train.
It affects confidence, independence and, in some cases, whether they choose public transport at all.
For operators, station managers and those developing future passenger information systems, the report presents a clear challenge: accessible communication needs to be designed into the journey as a core requirement rather than treated as an additional passenger service feature.
