Govia Thameslink Railway is introducing new aids to help people who have problems when it comes to communication, such as hearing or learning difficulties.

The Travel Support Card is for passengers to carry along with their personal belongings. They will then show to rail staff when they travel.

The card features a ‘How you can help me’ space. This can be filled in by either the passenger, carer or station staff. This will explain the support that they need, and further details for their journey and emergency contacts.

Passengers who complete regular journeys can use the card for every trip. Otherwise, a new card can be picked up from any staffed station.

Govia Thameslink Railway is also introducing the Accessibility Communication Guide. This is a pictorial guide that makes it easier for staff and passenger to communicate better. Customers will be able to simply point to one of their pictures to explain what they need, such as a taxi, train or finding the toilet.

What did the officials say?

Antony Merlyn, GTR’s Accessibility Manager who led the introduction of the new aids, said: “Giving all passengers the confidence to access our network is a key focus for us at GTR. We know that many passengers with hidden disabilities can find the railway to be intimidating. The Communication Guide and Travel Support Card, alongside other established support such as Priority Seat Cards, are all designed to make it easier for passengers to communicate with our front line teams, and to enable our staff to tailor assistance to their specific need. We’re very grateful for the invaluable advice and feedback from our Access Advisory Panels that ensure the support we offer is what our passengers really want.”

• Visit the Thameslink website
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