VICTA Changemakers
Blindness Awareness Month
Hi my name is Abu-bakr Ishtiaq, this article is all about transport and a bit about my experiences as someone who has a vision impairment.
About me and my vision impairment
I am registered blind – severely sight impaired with a condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa RP with Laurence Moon Biedl syndrome and I also have tunnel vision. Despite my vision impairment, I get around independently on public transport, using platforms for trams, trains and buses. What helped me was being given the confidence while attending the residential college in Birmingham called Queen Alexandra College. They taught me how to use the bus, train and tram safely. There weren’t that many trams in Birmingham but when I came back to study in Manchester they had more variety with the Metrolink system.
Buying tickets for travel when you are blind or partially sighted
There are lots of different modes of transport that can be used in the UK when you are visually impaired such as taxis, trains, trams and buses. When you are trying to book a ticket for a train for example, you can either do it online or go to the train station. Personally as a blind person, I find it hard to buy a ticket online and easier to do it at the train station.
The journey
A good feature once onboard the train is that it tells you each individual stop, so it’s a lot easier. I live in Manchester so use the Metrolink. When you’re on the trams, the stop you are at and the next stop get introduced which is really helpful. It is important to know which tram or train you are going on! It’s the same when you’re in London on the underground system – it’s absolutely amazing!
So, about the buses! Not all buses, even in London, talk or announce the stops. If you’re in certain parts of London they announce each individual stop but in other parts of the London it doesn’t, so it can be confusing. In Manchester, only one or two buses have the display announcing each individual stop, destination and arrival times. We have been campaigning to get them on all buses because then it is so much easier to use them.
My own experiences on buses is that once or twice I have been taken off at a wrong stop because the driver did not know where I needed to go. Usually I find it a lot easier to ask the driver to tell me when I’ve reached my stop. With some drivers they are helpful but I’ve had some negative experiences where drivers have been rude and ignorant. I have made complaints and the companies have responded to say they will give them training. It would be good to know the truth of how they do the training.
With taxis, to start with I found it hard to book on the apps, but now I have got the hang of Apple Pay, it’s a lot easier – all you need to do is touch your card or fingerprint and get the hang of recognising the ping noises. Sometimes I still do a cash payment. An issue with some taxis is that they don’t know how to guide someone out of or into the car, so it’s always good to give them some training and advice, for example, tell them which arm or shoulder to lead on.
To sum up, I would say that for me in Manchester, the Metrolink is the best way forward. In London I find the underground tube system absolutely amazing!
My tips for using public transport
- If you are in Manchester, I would recommend a blind person to use the Metrolink more than the buses.
- If you live in London or are visiting, if you have the confidence you can get on the tube or on a train. If you don’t have the confidence, I would say to build it up slowly.
- Passenger assistance – when travelling by train you can book passenger assistance. It is sometimes good but sometimes it can be atrocious! You have to book it in advance and the staff will assist you on and off the trains. Passenger Assistance will guide me to my seat and assist me but the downside is that sometimes you book assistance and they don’t come. You’ve then got to go to them which is annoying. I have made complaints and received free tickets as compensation.
- Metrolink and buses – they don’t have that many staff members on the trams/buses, so you have to rely on yourself or ask a member of the public to help. I built up my confidence and experience in communicating with members of public, to ask what number is my bus, is it the right one, and then for assistance when on the bus if they ask for my bus pass. The majority of time they don’t ask for my ticket but sometimes they do.
Do you have any experiences using public transport you would like to share? Or any tips to help others? Let me know in the comments!
By Abu-bakr Ishtiaq
Follow Abu on TikTok @lifewithabu
@lifewithabu #abu Crossing The bike lane before bus lane confused LOL #me blind man with my long cane crossing bike lane to bus stop #for ♬ original sound - Abu-bakr Ishtiaq