Transport Design Forum puts inclusivity at the heart of bus design

Adherence to inclusive legislation is a natural desire for transport authorities and government bodies. Such legislation is a moving beast, and when it comes to accessibility, it can be difficult to cater to everyone’s individual needs.

As PSVAR discourse sometimes shows, discussions on accessibility can often be steered to what is easily seen — i.e. the needs of users with visible mobility issues. But equally important to remember are persons with non-visible disabilities.

Altro’s Transport Design Forum is shining the spotlight here. Stephanie Kyle of Floyd Slaski Architects, speaking at this year’s forum, highlighted the prevalence of — and criticises — a singular approach to accessibility. “Architects and designers think of wheelchair users, and believe placing a ramp or a lift in that building therefore makes it inclusive,” she says. “It does not.”

Her presentation summed up the forum’s focus: To increase the consideration for hidden disabilities and, more specifically, neuroinclusivity, in public transport design. Other speakers at the forum included Lydia Horbury from Bus Users UK, who gave an overview of where the bus industry is in terms of neuroinclusivity, and German design house Neomind, which presented a concept for a neuroinclusive ‘bus for everyone’.

In addition to advocacy groups, the forum was attended by members of Transport for London (TfL), and organiser Altro hopes that transport bodies and OEMs will take away learnings that can be implemented in the future design of vehicles.

Hidden disabilities

A better understanding of accessibility begins with an understanding of the breadth of recognised disabilities.

Floyd Saski Architects specialises in this area. Its portfolio includes healthcare facilities such as community clinics, operating theatres and intensive care units, as well as a focus on education, mental health, autism, and special educational needs. It reveals that while 24% of the UK population have a disability, only 3% of that pool are full-time wheelchair users. 80% have what is classed as a non-visible disability. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower organisation recognises 900 non-visible disabilities.

While Floyd Saski aims to demonstrate through its work the positive impact that inclusive spaces can have for people with hidden disabilities, Altro recognised that, unless public transport is equally as inclusive, users still risk being locked out of accessing those spaces.

Chris Edwards-Thorne, Marketing Manager at Altro (pictured), says the topic of neuroinclusion is becoming more prevalent in transport. The Transport Design Forum exists to build on that momentum. Now in its third iteration, its focus on neuroinclusivity is two years in the making. It is backed by Autistica, a research body that conducts research into the experiences of neurodivergent people in transport; and partners include fellow coach and bus industry stalwart Camira, and coach and bus care product supplier Autoglym Connect.

“The Forum is about more than public transport,” he says. “It’s about dignity, independence and a sense of belonging for every passenger. We have to learn to see the needs of neurodivergent people and go beyond where we currently sit as an industry. At the moment we’re good at identifying physical mobility issues and impairments, but we need to think beyond that into sensory and cognitive aspects as well.”

That public transport should be inclusive to neurodivergent people is emphasised by the fact neurodivergent people are less likely to drive regularly — only 39% compared to 60% of neurotypical people, according to Autistica. That means more reliance on public transport, or on other people.

Making transport inclusive

So what are the challenges that neurodivergent and autistic people face on public transport?

Policy Manager at Autistica, Georgia Harper, brought to the forum a report into the experiences of passengers who are neurodivergent that is hoped will inform positive changes moving forward — and made recommendations based on that research.

The report explores how and why neurodivergent people use public transport, what barriers and challenges exist, and what facilitators would make public transport more accessible for the neurodivergent community.

The main challenges recognised were the sensory demands such as lights, advertisements and sounds; crowding; unexpected changes; the attitudes of staff (suggesting there is scope for more training within Driver CPC) and other passengers; access to information; and the reliance on support from others when it comes to journey planning.

While there is little research on solutions and facilitators, that’s where forums such as Altro’s come in. Autistica’s recommendations are to establish a national steering committee for neuroinclusion in transport; work with community members to improve vehicle and stations designs for sensory sensitivities, and invest in research to develop, test and produce evidence of effective solutions. It also wants to standardise signage and information across public transport, improve the integration of services across transport systems and modes (such as ticketing and complaints procedures), invest in digital infrastructure across transport by enhancing existing online travel information and promoting and encouraging the sharing of transport and travel tips/hints on online community platforms.

Understanding and respect is also a key theme. Autistica recommends investment in evidence-backed neurodiversity training for transport service staff, and more public campaigns that promote awareness and acceptance of neuroinclusive behaviour.

Finally, the organisation emphasises the need to address overcrowding and improve staff support on public transport. That includes more staff presence on vehicles as a point of contact other than the driver.

These implementations need not come at the expense of other passengers. Over 80% of Autistica’s respondents, which included both neurodivergent and neurotypical people, endorsed some of its facilitators. The idea is to make transport more accessible to neurodivergent people, and improve the experience for everyone.

The universal bus?

To convey what some of these implementations might look like today, Altro recruited German design house Neomind to interpret a ‘universal bus for everyone’ for the London market. Director of Customer Experience Kasia Foljanty says many of the current status elements of the bus, including flooring, handrails, reader devices, wall panels and seats, request buttons, and windbreakers were rethought. “The idea was not only to focus on neurodivergent passengers, but to have a design that works for every group, for young people, for people commuting every day, for tourists.”

The resulting concept is based on the Mercedes-Benz Citaro.

Challenges were placed into two groups — sensory overload and lack of guidance. Colour coding is used (with an emphasis on softer palettes and high contrast) with the floor as a visual guide for orientation to direct passengers. Icons on the flooring and on the sides of passenger areas guide passengers to different zones. There is flexible use for different spaces and layouts can be customised, akin to a train.

Priority seating includes dividers between seats to grant a sense of space. Children and families have been considered with a dedicated family area. Wood effect vinyl is suggested for luggage areas and side panelling while seats come in an off-white colour swatch. The three different upholstery accent tones are matched with flooring. Indirect lighting on the floor and ceiling allows control of lighting during night and day.

An emphasis is also placed on information screens. A main screen behind the driver’s cab area is joined by three side-mounted overhead screens, and optional mounted screens in the centre.

“We tried to reduce the stress throughout the whole journey to guide the passengers without overwhelming them,” Kasia says. “The colour palette is toned down, frosted glass elements are used for windbreakers and powder-coated aluminium for hand rails. Contrast elements include soft buttons that gives rhythm through the bus.”

No constraint was placed on Neomind in conjuring up this design and the concept is intended to show a broad spectrum of what could be possible. The company has done many projects with commuter trains and underground rail, and it says much of what has been achieved can be done within a modest budget. But Kasia emphasises that designs such as these are not just about making a bus more inclusive for certain passengers — a thoughtful approach to design is a selling point and can be used to encourage modal shift. TfL’s route 63 initiative includes such a push, with a focus on high-spec buses and customer-friendly features.

“Everybody has an opinion when it comes to design, colours, materials and textures,” Kasia adds. “It will be impossible to make one design that works for everyone. But if you want more users, you have to listen to them. This perception is changing. You have to fight for your users and one way is through design. Make it attractive and welcoming for everybody.”