Guest Comment:

Emma Partlow, Director of Consumer Engagement and Policy for Transreport, explains how technology is transforming rail accessibility.

With more than eight billion rail journeys made worldwide each year, the opportunity to create truly inclusive journeys has never been greater - and technology has a key role to play.

There are 1.3 billion disabled people globally (World Health Organisation data), representing a significant passenger base who use public transport to travel for work, leisure, and to connect with loved ones.

Yet research suggests only 13% of disabled people report using trains with confidence and ease - and 91% of disabled users report encountering barriers.

This presents an important opportunity to continue to prioritise building a more accessible future of rail travel.

So, how can we harness technology and innovation to improve accessibility, while ensuring that human support remains central to the experience?

A catalyst for empowerment

By harnessing technological innovations, we can create a more connected and accessible rail network - one that reduces uncertainty, builds trust between passengers and operators, and fosters equitable travel experiences for all. But for technology to be utilised effectively, it must enhance rather than replace human support.

While technological advancement must evolve in tandem with broader infrastructural and societal change (such as improving step-free access and physical design), technology has the power to bridge gaps now and create immediate improvements.

Digital solutions can break down barriers by streamlining processes and ensuring consistent service delivery, thereby transforming customer experiences.

Research supports this, with studies indicating an approximate 20% rise in customer satisfaction when organisations partner with technology providers - demonstrating the tangible benefits of innovation. But it’s about more than having the right tools - it’s about making sure they work for everyone.

How do we create systems that are intuitive, reliable, and make a lasting positive impact for both passengers and staff?

Elevating confidence

Confidence plays a critical role in enhancing accessibility. At Transreport, our Passenger Assistance platform empowers disabled and older people, and indeed anyone with an access need, to request assistance in advance, thereby simplifying the process and instilling confidence that their needs will be met.

For rail staff, our technology improves operational efficiency and communication between teams, ensuring that they have all the information needed to provide exceptional experiences for their customers. This facilitates assistance that is personalised, efficient, and consistent, reducing uncertainty for both passengers and staff.

But technology alone isn’t enough. Accessibility requires a shared commitment across the entire industry.

Beyond compliance

True accessibility goes beyond mere compliance - it’s about fostering independence, dignity, and confidence in every journey.

While technology plays a critical role in achieving this, success depends on how it is implemented, supported, and used in practice. This includes how accessibility is proactively built into the culture of rail travel.

Collaboration is key. Consistent training, industry-wide alignment on best practices, and meaningful engagement with disabled people are what transform accessibility from a tick-box exercise into a lived reality.

This involves ongoing conversations with community groups, accessibility experts, and passengers themselves. By actioning the feedback of people who rely on rail services, transport providers can refine their strategy, making sure that their approach to accessibility meets real-world needs rather than just regulatory requirements.

Accessibility must be proactive, not reactive. It must be embedded into the very fabric of rail travel, so that every passenger can travel with confidence, knowing that the right support will be in place.

An essential factor here is staff training. Even with cutting-edge technology in place, human interaction remains at the core of the passenger experience. Equipping railway employees with the right knowledge and confidence to provide tailored assistance effectively ensures that technology empowers, not replaces, the human side of rail travel.

By continuing to invest in co-created, innovative solutions, the rail industry can foster a culture of inclusion that benefits both passengers and staff. With ongoing collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to accessibility, rail services that are inclusive, efficient, and empowering for everyone can be created.

The role of user insights

Technology can provide invaluable insights that help to shape a more accessible rail network - one that is more holistic, connected, and inclusive. At Transreport, we build solutions informed by real-world insights, bridging gaps and transforming accessibility.

For example, our Passenger Assistance technology, which has already facilitated more than seven million assistance requests, streamlines operational processes and centralises requests so that train operating companies can allocate them between teams in real-time.

Our reporting tools enable operators to track trends, identify challenges, and analyse feedback from passengers, so that they can make informed decisions about where and how to implement improvements.

From a passenger perspective, our technology provides a digital accountability trail so that if there is an issue with assistance, the appropriate teams can look into this.

By leveraging data-driven decision-making effectively, rail operators can create a more responsive and inclusive transport system that evolves with passenger needs.

A new standard

The rail industry must continue to embrace technological advancements that prioritise accessibility and inclusivity. The goal should not only be to meet accessibility standards to be compliant, but to exceed them, ensuring that every journey is comfortable, reliable, and dignified for all passengers.

By continuing to push the boundaries of what is possible, we can break down barriers and create a rail network where accessibility is seamlessly integrated into every aspect of travel. This requires ongoing innovation - not just in technology, but in how the rail system operates, from design to execution, training, and beyond.

The true success of this transformation will not only be measured by the implementation of accessibility technology solutions, but also by the stories of real passengers whose travel experiences are made smoother as a result of more efficient processes.

Through collaboration, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to inclusive practices, the rail industry can set a new standard for accessibility that empowers every passenger, every staff member, and every journey.