Dr Jon Lamonte, Chief Executive, Transport for Greater Manchester, 2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG

Dear Dr Lamonte,

Talking Bus and Tram Stops

I am writing to you with another suggestion for improving our public transport services for passengers with a visual impairment.

I understand that Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership in 2015 received a £10 million award to introduce new technology to improve public services.  Under the City Verve Project, this will include the introduction of talking bus stops, which also permit interaction with passengers.

At present, announcements of bus and tram arrivals are visual and therefore of no use to passengers with a visual impairment.  This causes them considerable inconvenience.

Surely it must be possible to make announcements on a public tannoy at tram and bus stops as happens at railway stations?  I know announcements are available at bus stands in bus stations but this requires the pro-active intervention of the passenger pressing a button, which is fine if they can see the stand and can see the button.

Please can I ask where we are in relation to the introduction of talking bus and tram stops and what proposals are in place to roll this provision out across the network?

I shall look forward to your response.